


Endgame

by lilolilyrae



Series: A Heistwives Kinda Job [4]
Category: Ocean's 8 (2018), Ocean's movies
Genre: F/F, HeistFamily, Heistwives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-07-06 21:00:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 20,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15894063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilolilyrae/pseuds/lilolilyrae
Summary: This one's exploring the time shortly before the heist and the development of the friendships between the Heist women :)





	1. Daphne

**Author's Note:**

> I was debating whether or not to call this 'endgame' because if I end up making the final stage of the heist yet another part of this series it would be more accurate to call that one 'endgame' but I don't have any other name ideas so here you go... Might change the title if that does happen xD
> 
>  ~~Might get M rated, but I'll put a warning on the chapter if the rating changes, and if I do make a smut chap it usually doesn't have much ploy you'd miss :)~~  
>  For those of you only interested in the smut, or for those who want to stop it: chapter 2, 11 and 18 are m-rated :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2018-09-04  
> In case you're watching the movie again or want to check sth: I started watching at min 23 for this

Daphne Kruger is having a bad, bad, day.

Firstofall, she's just so terribly busy preparing for the Met Gala.

Meeting people, writing speeches- she will not read one that some old guy ghostwriter for her!- Deciding who to talk with there, who to take as a date... It's really quite exhausting.

On days like this, she wishes she were back on set of a silly film, just following orders on how to act and not having to think for herself.  Despite knowing that she always hated that. Because thinking is so _hard_! It makes her head hurt.

But this gig could be a turning point in her career if she plays it right, so she will.

Everything has to be perfect- and still not undermining her reputation as the silly pretty face.

 

And of course she has to do _everything_ herself.

She has five PAs and two Managers, but they are all useless.

The assistants that is currently in the room with her just proves it. While probably having a way higher IQ than herself and everything, the woman knows absolutely nothing about how to act in the fashion scene. And now she's also bringing her bad news. Bad news about that bitch that not only snatched two lead roles away from Daphne so far, but now also wants to steal her spotlight at the Met!

 

"Penelope Stern? Is she even _old_ enough to go to the met ball?"

It's quite obviously a sarcastic and rhetoric question on her part, she _knows_ the damn thing has to old enough, because obviously she is going! Daphne just wants to bitch because it's the best way to vent her feelings, but of course her assistant has to take the question literally. 

"Apparently..."

Yeah, no shit! Still, Daphne decides not to call her out on it, instead saving her energy, just growling a bit and fuzzing with her hair. That Stern person won't destroy her big moment, and her assistant won't either.

"Who even cares who's dressing her."

"Uh, I think page six"

Is there really need for that derisive, undermining tone of voice? As if she wouldn't have noticed that herself once she opened the paper!

Making grabbed hands at it, Daphne's eyes nearly fall out of her head as she sees that Stern's and Weil's story got them an entire double page! The last entry on her own person got half of that!

" _I_ never met up with rose weil, I thought I met with everybody?!"

And that was only because of her own connections, definitely not because of her PA... Still, it's her job to make the appointments, so Daphne feels well in her rights to make a reprimand. Alright, so maybe she's a bit hard on her today. But just because life is being hard on _her_!

"You said she was a relict" the PA- Felicitas? Felicity? Retorts. 

Yeah, well, Daphne did say that, but that was before she had all the facts: being that _Penelope Stern_ wants to have Rose weil. Now she needs to get her, if only so Stern can't. 

"I meant _iconic_ "

She hadn't, but she won't show her weakness now.

 

"Do you want me to set up a meeting?"

"Memememe- yess!" 

"-Okay." Felicity forces out. She looks like a scared mouse typing away on her phone.

Now Daphne nearly feels bad for her. But only nearly, because the fear will hopefully make her work faster and actually get her a meeting with that Rose Weil person!

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea what the assistant seen in the film is called, don't think she has a name, so I picked one :) 
> 
> Hope you liked it! Next up will be Rose freaking out about Daphne :D


	2. Debbie/Lou (and Rose)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2018-09-07
> 
> Chap starts same day as the last one 
> 
> Not very explicit lesbian sex scene ahead! If you want to skip it, start reading after the line in the middle of the chap :)

 Lou growns as she wakes up and the sun is blazing through the windows.

Deb of course is already awake, probably- _plotting_ or something. 

And horribly cheerful for it being so early in the morning. There's humming coming from the adjoining bathroom.  _Humming_. It hurts Lou's ears. Except it doesn't pain her half as much as it would had it been anyone else, because Deb being happy is really never a bad thing.

With a sigh, Lou rolls onto her back and throws her arm over her face.

Why did she have to open the club again last night and actually stick around the entire time??? Oh right, because the authorities don't know that her new job of stealing a ten pound diamond necklace is fucking up her work hours.

Easy to get jetlagged without leaving the state if you're working a night and a day job.

Now she just wants to sleep for, like, three days. But they have big things planned for today, and she can't let Debbie down...

Still. Just five more minutes. Debbie's still in the bathroom, so it can't be... _That_ late...  
Just... A few minutes...  
She should probably set an alarm...  
But it's so _warm_ in bed...  she doesn't want to move...

 

 

 

The next time Lou wakes, someone is tickling her toes.

That makes her skip the entire waking up process pretty much in an instant.

"Damnit Deb!"

Debbie just laughs, already dressed for the day, hair styled in beautiful waves, make-up on point.

"Morning sleepyhead" she smiles down on Lou who is looking at her through small eyes, covers half fallen down her body as she jumped into a sitting position. 

"I hate you" Lou groans and falls back onto the bed.

"No you don't" Debbie says and presses a kiss onto her ankle, then pushing the covers away a bit to press another kiss higher up her leg. "And I think you especially don't hate that I waited to put on lipstick just so I could do this..."

Lou immediately holds onto the covers so Deb can't pull them off completely. She sure knows what her lover is trying to do.

But Debbie is insistent...

 

Kissing her way higher up, open mouthed kisses and switching from one leg to the other and back, she can feel Lou's resolve crumble...

Gently nipping on the skin of her inner thigh, just under the cover Lou is still holding tensely over her body, Deb looks up at her without raising her head, knowing it will make Lou Crazy with need as it's the same look she gives her when actually going down on her...

Without breaking eyecontact, she strokes Lou's right hand, balled to a fist around the fabric. "Sure you don't want to let go, honey?"

Lou groans, opens her hands and let's her head fall back onto the pillow. 

"Fine, you win, I'm awa-oh!" 

Grinning, Lou looks up again after sucking at Lou's folds without any warning.

"Fairly certain we're both winning here, hun"

And with that she parts her folds to get access to Lou's clit, getting to work on licking and sucking Lou to completion. 

 

 

 

* * *

 

Afterwards, Deb basically pushes Lou into a cold shower, throws her clothes at her and goes downstairs to search some brunch food for them both, when she finds Daphne in the lounge cuddled into an armchair, doing something with a lot of yarn and hunched over a tablet showing some sort of movie.

Good, so she's awake and functional. They'll need her today. But can't she find some headphones for that film? The shreaking girly voices coming from it are giving Deb a headache and will probably just make Lou's mood worse once she comes downstairs. 

It's also exactly the kind of kitschy romcom Danny, Rusty and Test used to (hate-)watch together and occasionally force Debbie to watch it with them. She never saw the appeal. And now the memory just makes her sad. 

 

Shaking her head, she goes to the kitchen. If Rose is still watching whatever she's watching when Deb will hear Lou coming down the stairs, she'll just tell her to pause it.

Deb opens the fridge and looks for some fruit... She could've sworn there had been at least an apple or a pear left yesterday, but now all she sees are containers probably filled with leftovers... 

"Oh, hey! You're awake!"

Rose is standing in the doorway. Deb hadn't even noticed that she paused the video. So much for her sharp senses... She feels way too much at home here, put way too at ease.

"Morning" she says. "You ready to take on Kruger today?"

"Sure, sure" Rose nods her head a few times, then blinks as if only just remembering what she wants to say. "There's fruit salad in here, I hope it's alright that I took the liberty, I just thought with how you are always busy and probably especially today you might now have the time... And there's oatmeal too, but of course if you don't eat it I'll just have it later- um."

Awkwardly standing in front of Debbie with the container of fruit salad she took out of the fridge, Rose stops talking. 

Deb blinks at her, then slowly she takes the container and looks inside. Neatly cut pieces of apple and banana, the container is separated in the middle, one is with Kiwi and oranges, the other part with yoghurt... That's Lou's favourite, and she's always complaining about there either being no yoghurt or no time to do anything with it except eating it right from the cup.

Maybe living with Rose isn't so bad after all.

 

"...thanks. I mean, really, thank you. Means a lot."

Rose just beams at her and shuffles back towards her tablet and whatever that DIY project is. And turns the movie back on.

Deb opens her mouth to say something, but then she just looks at the fruit salad in her hands and sighs. Maybe Lou will be okay with the background noise if it means yoghurt. And if not they can just go into their room to eat.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this entire chapter is actually all happening before the last one, and not mainly at the same time and after as I originally planned... Oups? Should I put them in the right order or would that just confuse everyone? 
> 
> Btw soon(ish) Tammy's gonna be involved so I have a poll for y'all: is she bi/pan or is she straight? Aka were she and Deb an item at some point? Let me know what you think, I'm still working on the backstory there!  
> On a slightly different note: I think Tammy is happily married and loves her kids because she wouldn't have given up on such a big part of her obviously loved criminal activities otherwise, so no drama to come either way :)
> 
>  
> 
> Kudos, comments and constructive criticism are always appreciated!


	3. Sisters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2018-09-11  
> If you haven't done so yet, go read chapter 2 (it was posted after chapter 3 but as it takes place earlier I changed the order of the chapters)!

Nine is sitting on her desk chair, looking through the cameras of the Met, again.

On a different screen, the poker programme is doing its thing. Semi-sucessfull, as usual. But since she started working for Lou Miller and Debbie Ocean, she can't bring herself to do the boring work herself anymore.

She feels like she is part of something bigger now. Something exciting... Something that might actually make this job worthwhile. Or at least gain her the money she needs to quit doing it forever.

 

The door slams as Veronica comes home from school. Has she always been doing that, or did the kid just stop being considerate now that Nine isn't asleep during the day as much anymore? Honestly, she can't imagine sleeping through so much _noise_.

Boots stomping, key dropping, cursing... She might not be sleep right now, but she can't very well work with those noises, either. The road that is so much more busy during the day is bad enough already. 

Well, it's not like she has much work to do, anyways.

Lou was strict about that rule: no other illegal activity during and shortly after their heist so as not to attract attention to their group should something not work out. Well, at least they let her work the poker games, as that's only semi-illegal or something. But the entire not having anything to do is making Nine antsy.

 

Upstairs, a cupboard is shut with a lot of energy. Nine winces.

"Can't you be fucking quiet for a second?!"

 

Silence.

Fuck. 

She really didn't plan to shout like that. 

"Veronica?" 

Her hesitant question is only met with more silence.

 

Rubbing her temples to stop her head from aching, Nine gets up and leaves the room.

She finds her sister sitting at the top of the stairs, a paper plate with food on top of her knees, looking down and- is she crying? Veronica is usually proud to say that she _never_ cries, no matter how often Nine tells her that that's a stupid approach to life.

But now Veronica's eyes are definitely wet.

 

"Sis?"

Veronica just shakes her head.

"I'm sorry, I'm just so tired, and-"

"Don't say you're sorry when you're just making excuses? You're turning into _him_!"

 

Nine freezes at the bottom of the stairs. She knows exactly who Veronica is talking bout. Their father.

But that just isn't fair!

"I am _not_ , I'm not an egocentric who only does everything for himself, I'm working my _ass_ of for the both of us!"

"Well sorry that I'm still in school and you don't let me help you in your oh so legal deals!"

 

Exasperated, Nine takes a step back and lets her arms fall to her sides. "That's not what I meant and you know it!"

Then she just sighs. She doesn't want to argue. And Veronica doesn't look like she likes this situation either, so... time for peace making. "I really am sorry, sis. It won't happen again."

Veronica hides her face again. "I know" she mumbles. "I- I made you fruit slices..." she offers Nine the plate she's holding. Now Nine feels even worse for shouting earlier.

She goes up the stairs and takes the plate, then helps Veronica back onto her feet.

"Thank you."

Veronica smiles.

Suddenly Nine is overcome with emotion. This is her little sister after all, the only family she has left.

Putting the plate down onto a nearby cabinet, she pulls Veronica into a hug.

"I'm sorry sis, I didn't mean to shout like that earlier."

"I'm sorry too, I know you're doing your best, I know it's not your fault... I just sometimes wish..."

Veronica is hugging her back, and she's still so little, but she's definitely growing up great.

"I know, little sister, I know."

For a moment they hold onto each other, knowing as long as they have each other it will be alright. 

 

Then Veronica draws back, clearly embarrassed by so much display of emotion.

Nine smiles.

"Hey, you got some time right now? Want to go watch a movie together or something?"

Veronica looks up at her, surprised. "You sure? I mean..."

Nine shrugs. "I wasn't going to do much anyways today"

"In that case..." Veronica grins and pulls her along into her room, throwing her a --- and turning on her computer.

"I've just got that new game from Max in my chemics course, he said it's totally awesome!"

Nine gives her a look. That's what you're up to in chemistry? Well, whatever. I'll play. I'll finish you off! But only if you finish your homework later!"

Veronica snickers "You'll only win if I-"

"Sis..."

"Sure, sure. Okay, come on. You should get the hang of it easily, it's the same kind of..."

Veronica launches into a detailled explanation, and Nine smiles.

 

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, Lou Miller and Debbie Ocean quickly duck under the window of a restaurant, bubble machines still in hand. They look at each other, lips twitching, and then they collapse in laughter. 

Inside, Rose Weil agrees to dress Daphne Kruger for the Met Ball.

And the heist of the century goes on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like the arguing thing wasn't all that well written... sorryy I'm more used to writing ppl in relationships than siblings :s
> 
> Next up: Constance!


	4. First Meeting: Daphne and Rose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2018-09-05

A few days after the awkward meeting with the pretty blonde, Rose finds herself back in a cab towards the inner city with Lou and Debbie.

Apparently they got a meeting set up with Daphne Kruger- or, got _her_ , Daphne Kruger, to want to set up a meeting with her? 

Rose really has to try to stop hyperventilating at that thought. Why would the amazing, the absolutely stunning and famous and successful Daphne Kruger want to meet _her_? Alright, so that was the plan, but _still_.

 

"I watched one of her films last night. She's actually really good!"

Rose is careful not to tell them about how she actually went to the movies a few days ago, and now including last night binged every film and series with Daphne in it she could find on Netflix.

Doesn't want them to think she's compromised or anything. She's not. She only appreciates Daphne's perfection. And isn't that a big part making up why this is actually going to work, them getting the Toussaint out of its vault and all?

Well, either way she did good not telling Lou about the extents of her Daphne-obsession, because apparently she is picking up on it without Rose telling the entire truth, and doesn't like it...

"Whatever you do: don't fawn" she reprimands her.

"Just ignore her" Debbie agrees.

"Indifference. It's an aphrodisiac." Lou nods.

Rose bites back a comment on how she'd want an aphrodisiac to work on Daphne... she banishes all those thoughts.

"Very little eyecontacy" Deb goes on, and Rose frowns. As if she can't manage that? They really have no faith in her...

 

She blocks out the continuing stream of instructions and mentally goes through how she will act again.

Not getting up when Daphne- _Kruger_ , when Kruger arrives, looking over her shoulder or at the menu, not saying anything until Kruger initiates the question--offer to work for her herself.

Then she hears the stilettos coming closer.

Her head whips around to see the source of the sound- and she can't help it: Rose jumps out of her chair, taking Daphne's hand with both of hers and barely remembering to let go again.

"Oh- Uh- Daphne! Miss-s Kruger" 

Daphne only laughs at her messing up- and oh _god_ she looks stunning, with the lipstick, and the glasses, and the hair, and the red dress and that _cleavage_ -

Rose really isn't like those guys that can't look up at women's faces because they're so preoccupied staring at their bosoms, female faces are beautiful all the same- but she can appreciate Daphne's bosom just as well.

Only she shouldn't right now, shouldn't appreciate her at all- What did Daphne just say?

Did she just compliment her?

"Really??!?"

Daphne. Kruger. Just complimented her.

And Rose isn't allowed to show how it's affecting her.

 _Look down rose- don't stare- don't fawn,_ alright, so maybe Lou was right to warn her not to.....

And now her sunglasses are gone, and _god_ those gorgeous eyes....

 

Then she sees the two behind the window.

Just staring at her.

Reprimandingly.

Making sure she doesn't fuck this up.

 

Alright. She can do this. Focus on Lou and Debbie and their weirdness, not looking at Daphne and her beautiful hair- _dammit_!

Quickly, Rose looks back to the window and- bubbles? They're blowing bubbles? _What_?

"What?" Daphne whips around to see what Rose is staring at, but Lou and Debbie quickly duck and she only gets a glimpse at the last bubbles floating through the wind.

" _What_ is going on??"

"Eer- Oh" Rose knows she's supposed to ignore her until she gets an offer to dress her for the Met- but she also shouldn't make her mad, right?? She's not so sure about the ignoring-aphrodisiac thing anymore...

Trying to get herself back under control, she accidentally hits her glass with fork and scares herself...

"sorry. What were you saying?" her internal cringe might be showing on her face.

Oh, she'll never be beautiful enough for Daphne, so what's a silly facial expression more... Wrong track of thought. _Listen_!

 

Daphne already looks at her like Rose is completely stupid.

"I'm tryna hire you? For the met ball?"

 

It takes Rose a second to realise that this is actually happening. She sits up straight. 

"Great- thank you. My honour." She gasps out. _Deep breaths Rose, deep breaths..._

"Flattered." it does not sound as if Daphne means it.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My phone's autocorrect keeps trying to make "Daphnia" out of Daphne??? If I missed one or any other mistake let me know!
> 
> Kudos and comments make my day :)


	5. First Appearance: Constance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2018-09-12 (The Ex)  
> Start at min 26 of the film
> 
> 2018-09-13  
> I had help with ideas for this chapter by [Tatea14](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tatea14), as you can see in the comment section of the 4th chapter of 'Funkie' :)

The reaction to Rose meeting Kruger is fast: on the same day, paparazzi pictures are spreading around and blog articles pop up out of nowhere, Lou doesn't even need Nine to hack anything this time. And the next morning, there's an article on the front page of a print edition.

 

> "Not so fast! Daphne Swipes a Rose"

 

"Game on" Deb mumbles as she collects the paper and throws it at Lou who is sitting on the kitchen table (yes, _on_ the table), surrounded by yet more files of potential recruits, coffee mug in hand.

Lou catches the paper and grins.

"Damn straight! Though, not so _straight_ right?"

Deb frowns at her. "Huh?"

"Come on, Rose was absolutely _smitten_ with Kruger!" 

"You think..." Debbie steps closer and takes another look at the picture in the paper. 

"Why not?"

Deb shrugs. "I dunno... I guess I thought we pretty much already filled the queer quota in this operation... Didn't expect anyone else." 

"Well, I bet she's as gay as a rainbow!"

Deb frowns.

"That just gives us another problem: if you think she's into the target, she might not be able to work with her without attracting unwanted attention..."

"Sure it'd be _un_ wanted tho?" Lou bites back a laugh.

"Damnit, be serious!"

Lou slides down from the table and holds Deb in place by her upper arms.

"I am serious, and I think you're overthinking this. Rose did her job well, I mean yeah maybe she needed our help but she's new to this and that's what we were there for. And I doubt her reactions will get worse, once she'll be hanging out twenty-four-seven with Kruger she'll get used to it. Come on, don't worry, okay?"

Deb sighs, then she shakes her head and sets a determined expression onto her face.

"Guess I have no other choice. Do hope you are right."

"Believe me, worst case scenario we'll have someone babysit her. Now, what I wanted to talk to you about-"

Lou hops back onto the table and gestures to the piles of paper surrounding her.

"I know you said it's nothing we need until the final heist, but I thought it should still be next on the list, we need a pickpocket and a greaseman, and I have a few gals here who could be both-"

"No, I need them both at the same time."

"Uh, okay- well... I do know an amazing pickpocket that's usually operting quite closeby..."

At Lou's contrite expression, Deb can only sigh.

She has no idea _who_ exactly it is about- but she knows all too well _how_ Lou has to be remembering someone to cause that look on her face.

 

 

 

 

* * *

Walking up the stairs out of the subway, Lou is trying to make Deb warm up to the thought of working with one Constance, the best pickpocket in this side of the state.

"Well you'll see, this girl has some of th best hands I've ever seen"

Deb bites back a comment about whether that's about her skills in the street or in the sheets.

Lou sleeping with Constance had been just before Debbie's time with Lou. Yet Lou obviously stayed in contact enough to know where she's operating...

Or, of course, her network of spies told her.

And even if not- so what if she stayed in contact with her, so what if maybe they're friends? People can have healthy friendships with their ex lovers, she knows that first-hand.

And if Lou did still sleep with her before they decided to be exclusive, that's her business. 

 

So instead, Deb just asks:

"Is this one sane?"

Which is a valid concern when it comes to Lou's associates, both professional and personal. And judging by how long it takes her to reply, this one is no exception...

There's a slight pause before Lou says way too quickly "A hundred percent."

Deb would have liked to roll her eyes- and maybe just turn around and go home.

But no matter how weird the people she drags into things tend to be, Lou never fails to know the exact person who will do the job right. So Deb lets herself be lead to the scene of crime.

 

* * *

 

_"Okay here's how we're playing Red is money okay...-"_

"Really. Three card monte?"

Deb asks, crossing her arms over her chest. She tries hard to be objective here, but it's, well, hard when you're watching your lover's ex-lover, about to recruit her for a job.

 

She and Lou are sitting on some park bench, watching Constance fleece a sad looking guy who's probably just looking for love. With Three Card Monte. Again, really?

Lou just shrugs, slouching even deeper into her position next to Deb. She is, once again, the opposite of Deb: leaning back with her legs spread wide as always, wearing leopard print that should make sure she gets noticed everywhere, while Deb is wearing inconspicuous dark and crosses her legs to match her arms. The only thing they're both wearing is sunglasses.

 

Debbie lets her eyes sweep over the people in front of them. She can't spot any muscle, but in the crowd it's not very likely anyone would want to take their money back by force... There's another girl a few people behind the players that might be on lookout, might not ... Definitely no-one else.

It's not common, playing Find The Lady without any backup to warn the giver if the game attracted unwanted attraction from the authorities, or someone to 'win' against the trickster, showing potential victims how easily it's done.

Maybe this girl has more skills than meets the eye, if she does this all by herself...

 

Deb looks back at Constance.

She looks very much like a child, with her beanie and baggy clothes in general.

Lou told her that Constance is over 30- prpbably she's using the childlike demeanour to be less suspicious. Or maybe it's just her style.

Still, the age difference between her and Lou is obvious... not like Deb's judging, Constance is very much an adult. It's just... Lou could have anyone she wants. And while by now, Deb is secure in the fact that _she_ is who Lou really wants, it's still sometimes somewhat stuns her what she was competing against- and it's definitely an ego boost to be chosen over someone nearly twenty years younger.

Anyways. She should put those thoughts away for later, or maybe for never. Because they need Constance for the job.

But even on a completely professional level, Deb isn't sure whether she should be content with this person: still making card tricks for the same guy, repeating 'following the queen' in a- to Deb- obnoxiously loud voice. Well, maybe she's just too used to the whispers of secrecy.

 

"Is this our only choice?" She asks Lou, knowing very well that they have been through this. And Lou knows that the protest is at best half-hearted. 

"Mm the turnover in pickpockets is huge" Lou replies.

 

Then constance's game comes to an end, and she not only pockets the money she and her victim played for, but also, in a sleek movement hidden from the specators standing around them: his watch.

"Not bad" Deb has to admit.

Lou nods. "Yea I thought so." which is as much of a 'told you so' as one is going to get from Lou.

Debbie sighs. Lou smirks at her.

 

Before Constance can take on her next victim, she and Lou step in and walk past Constance, Lou motioning for her to follow.

While she tells her 'customers' that "Sorry guys, twas my last round, next time tomorrow, right? Yeah yeah no hard feelings, have a good time" and collects her posessions, the two of them move towards the restaurants on the other side of the park.

After Lou turned back around to make sure Constance saw them and is following, they enter one of the fastfood chains.

 

 

Constance is eyeing the two women warily.

Lou, she could deal with... It has been a while, sure, but she doesn't care what the other's been up to. That she's here means she's still in the business, and Lou has the best information and the best jobs, so who is she to complain?

And even if a job doesn't work out, Lou's still amazing in bed, and maybe Constance has been in a bit of a dry spell because she doesn't have the time to go dating between jobs and because the lesbian population that is down for one night stands seems to be nonexistent at the moment... So, yeah.

But that other woman? What's she want?

Walking past the two to the counter (and collecting the five dollar bill Lou holds out for her), she says "I didn't know you were down for threesomes, Miller, but you really only need to ask."

When neither Deb nor Lou go for it, she shrugs it of as a joke and asks what they want.

 

 

 

While Constance is buying herself a sandwich on their money, Lou briefly goes over the planned heist, just saying that there will be a fancy necklace at a party, and it would be Constance's job to get it and pass it on, should she agree to work with them.

"So, I'm lifting one necklace?" Constance nods along.

"It's a very nice necklace"

"And this is legit."

It's a statement, not a question, but Lou still answers.

"A hundred percent"

"Okay I'm in"

Before she can walk off to collect her sandwich, Deb interjects: "Great. Uh, can I get my watch back please?"

Lou moves back from where she was leaning against the counter. She did notice Constance taking her own watch, just as she always does- but she took Deb's too?

"And uh, hers as well" Deb says. Lou grins. Deb's got a good eye.

 

"So, are you in?" she asks again.

"Sure, sure. Just wanted to check whether you still sharp" Constance shrugs it of and starts walking towards the exit, sandwich in hand.

"And is this, like, a one time thing? Cause I havent seen you face around here in a while..." she asks over her shoulder.

Lou lifts an eyebrow. "It's a one time thing. Mostly because it really is a necklace fancy enough to pay us all for a while."

"Kay, kay. So, if we're working together again-" Constance abrubtly turns around to face Lou, the latter is nearly walking into her. "That also mean we're _working together_ again?" she's wiggling her eyebrows. badly.

Lou panicked look in Deb's direction, she knows exactly what this looks like, and even though she already told Deb everything earlier, with how close they're standing now it's still- and okay, that she can change, so she quickly takes a step back.

Deb tries hard to keep a stright face, coldly looking at Constance, but she's laughing inside at Lou's little freakout. 

Their nonverbal communication doesn't stay hidden from Constance, and her mouth falls open.

Eyes wide open, she squeaks as she looks from one woman to the other and back.

"You- I mean, you _two_ \- and I- oh god."

With that she flees the scene.

 

Deb lifts an eyebrow. "I hope we didn't just lose our pickpocket?"

Lou shakes herself out of her stupor.

Deb is taking this well. Okay. Then so can she. And...

"Nah, she'll come around. And she knows where I live, she'll be there for details on the job soon."

Deb smiles. "Good"

Then she wraps her arm around Lou's shoulders and walks her back towards the subway station. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~Okay sorry next chapter will actually be Constance! Was supposed to be one part with this one, but oh well, time.....~~ Updated this one instead!
> 
>  
> 
> Yes I wikipedia-d three card monte for this.
> 
> Do y'all like Constance? I love Constance! And btw I dimly remember promising that I wouldn't make this an everyone is gay thing with 4 HeistCouples, and while I do intend to keep the last part of the promise, everyone I write does indeed turn out to be kinda gay... Sorry Not Sorry.
> 
> In case you are interested, sexualities so far are:  
> Deb: bisexual  
> Lou: homo(flexible) but she tends to just say gay  
> Rose: Lesbian  
> Daphne: pan but on the gay end of the kinsy scale  
> Amita: ace  
> Constance: idk maybe gay maybe pan you tell me  
> Nine: I should make at least one person straight right?? But... I dunno...  
> Tammy: panromantic demisexual (and she'll be up next!!!)
> 
> If you liked this part, let me know :)


	6. When Worlds Collide

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2018-09-14  
> Min 27

With the positions of the masterminds, jeweller, hacker, pickpocket and, well, fashionista, filled, there are still more jobs they have to find people for...

Debbie and Lou are sitting together untill deep into the night, trying to find the best of the best (that are available) and not settling for anything less.

At some point at around one-ish Lou went to sleep, but after being woken up by an idea (which proves to be a dead end) she comes back to sit with Deb. The sleep mask she got used to wearing while sleeping during the day for her job in the club is still covering half of her forehead, messing up her sleep roughed hair even further.

Deb thinks she looks like plain sex, like a treat set in front of her to taunt her, because she can't let herself get distracted or else they'll stay here untill tomorrow night...

 _Think, Deb!_ She tells herself. _Be productive, come on!_

 

"What about..." a picture in a file catches her eye, it's no-one she knows but it does remind her of: "Ivy?"

Yes, she too does know some people in their business. But Lou is the expert because she not only knows them all, she's also always up to date with what everyone's up to. And not just because of Deb's disadvantage of being out of touch with the world over the last years- Lou has always been the one who is better informed.

She interrupts Deb's train of thought (and proves her right all the same) as she says:

"No, still in jail... what about him?"

She holds up a pic from one of the files.

Deb supresses a cringe. "Oh he's a him"

"So?"

"I don't want a him" And she doesn't want to have to explain herself either. So what if the thing with Becker gave her trust issues. Doesn't mean she needs a shrink.

 

Lou hasn't noticed her turmoil, and she asks "Oh is this because it's a him or because it's a _him_?"

After all, just because Deb had been okay enough with Constance being on board it doesn't have to mean she'd want her own ex lovers around... and Lou never asked how many people Deb has been with, nor does she intend to do so.

"It's not a _him_ I barely know the guy" Deb grumbles.

"What's wrong with a him?" 

"A him gets noticed, a her gets ignored and for once we wanna be ignored" Debbie replies.

And it's true, but she knows just as well as Lou that in their business, everyone learns how to be ignored easily.

Yeah, Lou will know that there is more to it. But at least she lets it go for now. But when Deb sees the flash of wit in Lou's eyes at the word 'ignored', and at the next words Lou speaks, Deb almost wishes she wouldn't have let the topic go.

 

"And... What about Tammy?"

 

 

 Tammy.

Debbie hadn't met with her since before she went to jail.

Last she'd heard, Tammy was now happily married, living somewhere in the suburbs with a husband and a kid.

And after that there wasn't really much Deb _wanted_ to know.

Not because it had been a bad breakup or because she was jealous or something. She and Tammy had figured out that they worked as friends better than they ever did as girlfriends before they left highschool. And then they had been the bestest of friends, working together, telling each other everything...

 

So no, that isn't it. Deb actually _misses_ Tammy. The old Tammy.

But a life in the suburbs, away from crime, away from anything exciting?

That was what Deb couldn't, woudn't understand. Because she can't bring herself to believe that the 'happy' part in this happily ever after can be true. At least not if Tammy is even remotely the same person she used to be. And if she isn't, Deb doesn't want to face that change.

Maybe because she's afraid she will end up like that one day, too... Not now that she's with Lou. Never with Lou. They'll be criminals until they're old and grey and can't walk alone anymore.

But Lou, too, had nearly settled down while Debbie had been gone...

 

Lou sees the emotions pass over Debbie's face and gets up with a yawn.

"You think about that, babe. I'm going to bed." She pats Deb's shoulder, and then Debbie is alone in the dimly lit room.

She leans her face on the table with a groan.

Tammy is the perfect woman for the job, she knows that. Well, would be the perfect woman for the job if she still has it in herself.

She should at least try. It doesn't hurt to ask, right?

Except when it does.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments really make my day!


	7. Rose and Daphne

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2018-09-17  
> Thought maybe you'd like to check up on what Rose and Daphne are up to!
> 
> Tiny chapter because I'm on the road, but there will be more soon :)

Rose is looking into the mirror for the fifteenth time, shaking her head, undressing and re-dressing in a frenzy. 

What is _wrong_ with her?

She should keep the designer brain for her customer, in this case Daphne Kruger, and just put something on she _likes_ as she usually does!

But she doesn't want to look embarrassing in front of Daphne...

Although compared to beautiful, tall, _perfect_ Daphne _everyone_ would look embarrassing. And Rose would certainly look it no matter her clothes.

With a sigh, she shakes her head, covers her eyes, makes a _shoo_ motion at the mirror and as it obviously won't just dissappear she turns around and opens her eyes... 

And immediately turns back to get a better look at herself.

That top with those- _what was she thinking_?

 

 

 

 

 

 

In preparation for the first actual meeting with her stylist, Daphne carefully applies her favourite lipstick. Dark red, it suits her beautifully, and never fails to intimidate her opponents. 

And that is exactly what she wants.

And more than that.

She wants to be the one to call the tune, to show Rose that she is more than just a clothes rack the other can try on outfits on.

...why exactly Weil's opinion of her seems more important to her than she usually cares about her employees, she doesn't want to question.

 

 

 

 

 

Rose is shuffling about around her, holding up pieces of cloth in different colours, comparing designs of dresses on Daphne and checking how assessoires and hairstyles fit to the outfits.

 

Daphne sighs as she tries to relax into the process.

She's always loved having someone fuzzing over her as if she is the centre of the universe and at the same time could 

But something about Rose Weil throws her off.

 

Suppressing a frown, she throws her hair over her shoulder in a way she knows is elegant before asking a question about the last pattern of the dress, trying to start a conversation. 

Instead of answering, Rose is staring at her, frozen in place.

Daphne doesn't quite know what to make of it.

Yes, Rose is obviously intimidated by her, they always are. But there is something else...

 

 "Are you alright?" 

"I- _yes_! Why would I not be? Here, here, try this one-"

 

Daphne sighs internally. Seems like it will take a while for this one to unbend. Would it even be worth the effort? It won't be long until the met gala, and they might never meet again afterwards. 

Still.

Something about Rose tells her to keep trying. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea how stuff like that actually works, if you're in the fashion business and can tell me more please do so!
> 
> And if you want to fangirl with me on tumble, find me @lilolilyr :)


	8. First Appearance: Tammy

 

### Notes:

2018-09-19  
Managed another chapter despite Uni work but only because it was half-finished already so don't expect too much in the near future :s

(See the end of the chapter for more [notes](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15894063/chapters/37345748#chapter_1_endnotes).)

### Chapter Text

Tammy Jacobs is the picture-perfect suburban housewife.

And she's content to be it, she really is. She had never felt forced into the role- and she hadn't been, her husband, Thomas Jacobs, had been just as willing to be a stay at home dad when the first child arrived. But she hadn't had a job (at least not a legal one, not one she could tell him about), and she hadn't wanted to drag her child and future children into the criminal world, anyway.

So she quit.

Told him to keep his job.

 

And now, with her two little kids growing up in front of her eyes, she wouldn't have it any other way. Even if the kids annoy her at times... particularly when playing putdoor games inside the living room while she is trying to get something done in the kitchen... 

"Take that outside, would you?"

Oh dear, children. But they are too adorable to be mad at for long, and they still have so much to learn! 

Sometimes she does wish she could pass on her skills in fraud and deception as well as her manners and recipes. But that is really her only regret.

 

 

After reprimanding her son, she's ready to finish her smoothie when her phone rings.

It's someone she has not expected at all, not anymore.

Someone from a life so long ago it nearly feels unreal.

Debbie.

 

 

She did tell Thomas about her former profession at some point.

Before their wedding, to be exact. She had just found out that she was pregnant with their second child and planned to tell him that very evening when he proposed... it had been very romantic. Until he looked at her expectantly, one one knee in front of her and the ring in his hand, and she hadn't been able to speak.

It had been second-nature to her before that, lying that is.

Lying to her friends, her family, just as well as the people she defrauded. And with Tom, too, it had been easy until then- first he had been nothing she thought about too deeply, just someone she went on dates with a few times...

And then when they did got to know each other better, and she found she liked him more than she usually liked the men that asked her on dates- that yes,she was in _love_ with him, even- it was like a completely seperate life to the criminal life she was living.

Because he hadn't known, it never came up, and neither did she intend to change that. Then when she had become pregnant and decided to walk away from crime and never look back, she thought she shouldn't be guilty about something that happened in the past, she was just living one day after the other with him, and it worked...

But faced with the prospect of living their entire life together- a life that, in part, was a lie- Tammy had found herself unable to say yes immediately. Not without him knowing the true her.

So she had told him everything.

But she still hadn't expected her old life to ever catch up with her.

 

 

"Debbie, I'm with my family, I told you-" I told you not to call, that one time you tried.

"I'm outside." That deadpan voice. And that stubborn, stubborn and spontaneous person. Just like old times.

"What?" She still feels the need to ask. Just to be sure she isn't imagining things.

"I'm in your garage."

Tammy has to close her eyes for a second before putting the phone down, putting the mixer out of range of grabby, clumsy and prone to injuries children's hands, and goes into the garage.

 

In there everything is silent, and for a moment Tammy thinks it was just a bad dream.

Then she sees her silhouette.

"Deb?" she whispers. "Deb, what are you doing here?" 

Debbie is licking on a lollipop she no doubt snatched from Tammy's own. With a pop, she pulls it from her mouth and gestures around.

"Look at all this. I thought you retired?"

"-I did" why does she feel so defensive suddenly? 

"Not as exciting as hijacking trucks that are smuggling dishwashers from canada, right?"

"Yeah, well, I don't do that anymore"

"And you're so very good at it"

Embarrassed by the sudden compliment, Tammy tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear. "-thank you?"

"So these are all for- personal use, right?"

Damn, she should have known that there is no compliment from a criminal without a hidden agenda. "What do you want?"

Deb walks closer, until she's directly in front of her.

"I just wanna- just wanna reconnect"

_Bullshit_. "Oh yeah?"

"Mm"

"Reconnect."

"Mhm... you're not bored out here, are you Tam Tam?"

"I'm not bored-"

"No?-" Deb walks even closer, and Tammy backs away.

"Out here al all..." It feels as if she's trying to convince herself, not Debbie.

"Good... good, good" Deb doesn't seem satisfied with her answer.

"What- why would you ask that?" Tammy so hopes not to get the answer- anything but-

"Cause i need a fence."

 

-That. Anything but that. 

Well, at least Deb got to the point now.

"I told you i dont do that anymore, I'm out-"

Deb has continued walking, so Tammy has continued backing away, but now she finds herself pressed against a wall of cartons.

Why does Deb has to be so _threatening_? 

"It's a big job"

"I, I dont care" she doesn't even convince herself with that answer. And as close as Debbie is standing there is no way the other can't see right through her

"Soo you don't want me to tell you how big the job is?"

"No!" she closes her eyes to clear her head. "No i _really_ dont-" she opens her eyes, and is glad to feel in control again, but only for a second:

"...how big the job is..." Deb leans forward, and Tammy can't bring herself to move away as Deb whispers into her ear.

But she can't be serious. 

Yes,of course they used to pull off bigger things than what she's doing here, but-

"Are you kidding?!"

"No." Debbie stays completely calm.

 

Tammy is ready to shove her away, or just run away and hide, the monumental numbers still ringing in her ears. But then-

"Mommy, when's dinner ready?"

Nelly. Hee daughter. Her beautiful family, who was definitely _not_ supposed to be dragged into this!

She quickly presses closer to the wall of cartons to hide, and at least Debbie understands and does the same.

"Uh sweetheart I will be right there, I'm so sorry, mommy will be right there"

Deb throws her a smug look from next to her, as if this encounter somehow proves anything. Then she tries to get a look at the kid, and Tam has to gesture for her to stay hidden.

"But i'm hungry"

"I know sweetheart, i- sweetheart i will be right there"

She pushes Debbie away by her face.

Deb smiles, the lollipop still in hand as the kid stomps away.

Tam bites her nails, a habit she grew out of ages ago. Then she shakes her head and turns around, exhasperated.

"Thanks a lot"

Ignoring her, Debbie says "She sounds sweet."

Tammy just sighs.

 

Deb looks around again, now with the realisation that Tammy's family gets in here, too.

How do you explain all this to your husband?

Tammy opens her mouth to tell the truth- that she didn't lie- but decides against it. Who knows what Debbie would do with that information, better not give her any ideas or she might try and recruit him, too. But what else could she have told Thomas...?

"Ebay?"

Deb nods slowly, apparently accepting the explanation. 

Tam bites her lip, looking ahead awkwardly, hoping that Deb takes her obvious shame as reason to believe she lied to her husband, not to Debbie herself. Hell, she's never been a good lier if it isn't for a job. 

A job...

Tammy still can't quite believe that what Deb told her can be the truth, but if it is...

"I need to think about this."

Deb's grin is perfectly bright. As if she has already won. 

"Well, think fast! Tonight everyone is meeting up for the first time- Lou's place, you still know how to get there?"

Tammy nods. Internally, she really suppresses a facepalm and a groan and maybe some curses. Because yes- now, Deb has won. 

She won't be able to not go to the warehouse, she needs to know more. And once she'll be there, she's afraid there will be no going back.

 

* * *

 

> Last name Jacobs because the name Jacob came to my mind because that's my sister's boyfriend's name xD


	9. HeistFamily

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2018-09-22  
> I didn't really intend for this to be mostly POV Rose? But it happened? So, Rose ahead :D

That evening, Rose is sitting in one of the armchairs in the- lobby? Giant living room? Surprisingly nicely decorated first floor of Lou's warehouse?-, shifting around and fidgeting with her bracelets anxiously. 

Lou and Debbie are sitting on a couch, Deb on the phone, Lou simply leaning back with her eyes closed, one arm thrown over Debbie's shoulders. At least they weren't hiding their relationship from her anymore...

 

A sharp knock from the door makes her jump to attention. 

She makes to get up and get the door, but Lou waves her back after a look at her wristwatch. 

"Let them wait, let them wait- I said eight pm sharp, they gotta get used to following invitations like that to the second if they wanna survive in this business."

Rose gives a shaky nod.

 

Seven minutes later- one minute until 8pm- Lou motions for Rose to get up. "Okay, go get them."

 

She opens the door to find four strangers in front of it- and then Nine, too, comes into view, having been leaning against the wall next to the door.

"Hey, ya, doing okay?" she nods at Rose, and Rose smiles and pulls her into a hug, glad to have a familiar face around.

Then she looks at the others, embarrassed at having forgotten to properly introduce herself, but also figuring that everybody getting inside is probably more important. 

"Come in, come in!" she holds the first door open, and they all enter.

 

 

 

Amita, who brought nothing but her coat and her phone, which is on silent because she slipped out of the shop without telling her mother where she went.

Nine, walking in as if she owns the place- to go on Deb's nerves again or to make her own nerves settle, she can't even tell.

Constance, looking around curious, falling behind after entering as she checks out ever corner she passes. 

Tammy, looking around anxiously, still not completely on board but knowing that now there is no going back for her.

 

 

As she walks in last, Rose notices that in the meantime, Deb and Lou must have gotten up and are now standing by the 3D-model of the met on the little empore. 

Lou smirks at the newbies and claps her hands once. "Okay, everybody ready? let's get started."

There's barely time to get acquainted with the others before they're being shuffled to sit in front of the big screen at the end of the hall. There'll be time for it later, Rose supposes... Business first, then pleasantries. And to be honest, she's quite glad she doesn't have to deal with any more smalltalk at the moment.

 

"We would like to present you all with a hypothetical situation" Debbie's voice draws her from her thoughts.

"How hypothetical?" asks the woman closest to her, looking curious.  And Rose herself is curious as to what this woman's part in the heist will be- she doesn't particularly look like a criminal mastermind, with her short, a little plump posture and her pretty but rather plain face. Could use a little styling, that one, but she is still very pretty...

Lou, slouched on the side of the group, still looking hot as ever with her legs spread and her head fallen back answers: "Not very, unless we screw up."

The other does not look reassured by that deadpan voice and look. Nor by what Lou said, of course.

Shaking away all thoughts of pretty women- because she knows exactly with whom her thoughts will end up with if she doesn't- Rose lets her eyes flicker back to Amita before looking at everyone in the room. No, she truly doesn't look like a criminal mastermind... Them again, none of them do...

 

"16 point 5 million dollars in each of your bank accounts, five weeks from now."

Rose gasps.

 

 

Meanwhile, Tammy thinks to herself how theatralic of Debbie and Lou it was, letting the big number appear on screen just as she says it:

> \-   $16,500,000   -

So obviously staged. But of course it impresses the kids that are just as obviously new in this particular kind of job...

The woman who greeted them at the door actually gasps, someone behind her whistles... Frowning a little as she looks around, Tammy realises that apart from Debbie and Lou, she had been the only one to already be aware of the amount of money this heist would play in.

Maybe Deb really wanted her to be a part of this, not just as an easy option, if she was desperate enough to ruin her shock moment revelation to get Tammy on board, even just a little.

 

"In three and a half weeks, the met will be celebrating its annual ball, showing its new costume exhibit, and we are going to rob it! Not the ball itself, but a very important set of diamonds that will be attending the ball-"

"On the neck if Daphne Kruger." Lou finishes for Deb. Rose thinks they might have practiced that.

"Who Rose will be dressing." Deb continues.

The screen shows the beautiful yet terribly clutchy necklace she had been shown before.

"The toussaint??" the woman next to her asks. So maybe this one will be dealing with the diamonds once everything is done?

"Very good" Lou agrees.

Then Deb explains the rest of the heist, introducing some of the other's roles as well while doing so.

Rose thinks it all sounds- impossible. Way too optimistic. Like pure fiction. But with everyone in this room assembled, and Lou and Deb so sure of themselves... It almost seems possible. And well, what has she got to lose?

 

"So go home, get your affairs I'm order, by tomorrow we will be beginning to pull off one of the biggest jewellery heists in history!"

Damn right they will.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since I started writing this series I had "These boots are made for walking" stuck in my head pretty much constantly because it's in the movie.  
> The things I go through for you guys, seriously xD
> 
> Btw should I post another Deb/Lou chapter soon, or focus on the story as told in the movie? Let me know in the comments!


	10. Friendships in Progress

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2018-09-25  
> UPDATED 2018-09-26

Looking at the women gathered in front of her, Debbie allows herself a smirk.

It looks like all the hours they spent putting their perfect crew together finally payed off!

 

Everything worked out at their little introduction to the heist.

Deb notes that most of the others are kind of freaked out at the large dimensions of it all, but they're still all in, so it's alright. Plus, it is actually a good thing that they're not a hundred percent optimistic, because it means that they will be careful.

That's definitely a lesson she learned from Danny: the higher the shock value to the introduction, the less easy mistakes the crew will make.

 

Now, despite her finishig words being 'go home', everybody seems to linger- not yet ready to leave the atmosphere of criminal activity after the recent revelations.

With a sigh, Deb motions for Lou, and the other grins and grabs some alcohol bottles- from her private collection, not the cheap watered down shite she sells at the club.

"Bar's ready, help yourself!"

 

After that, everybody relaxes a little and sticks around to chitchat.

While Deb couldn't be happier about the others getting along, she is also, well... let's just say that if she were a guy her balls would be as blue as the canton of the goddamn flag.

Just watching Lou sitting, or rather, sprawling in the corner of her little audience,feeling her heated looks and not being able to do anything about it...

Yes, a part of Debbie can't wait for the others to clear out.

But it doesn't look like that wish will come true anytime soon... Constance is happily mixing every alcohol there is for herself and Amita, Rose is trying to stop everyone from getting alcohol poisoning, even Tammy is sipping on a glass of wine and Nine and Lou are apparently discussing the merits of cheap vs. expensive drinks. And while Lou does keep looking at her longingly from time to time, she seems to have accepted her fate.

Oh well. At least that gives her a chance to talk to Tammy again.

 

"Hey" she takes a glass of wine for herself and steps closer to her friend.

"Hey." Tammy replies, her eyes running over the people surrounding them. She still looks as if she's half in shock and can't believe this is really happening, but there is also something like- wonder in her eyes.

"You really always get what you want, don't you?" she says, sounding a little amazed.

Deb shrugs, uncomfortable at her oldest friend and former partner in crime talking about her that way. "We didn't manage to steal anything yet, so..."

Tammy laughs. "Yes, you're right about that. But it's not what I meant."

Deb just nods. For a while they are standing together in silence.

"So... will you be back?" Deb asks when she can't stand it anymore. She knows it's not very likely that Tammy won't join them after she saw what they're planning to do, but still...

"It won't be like it was, Deb."

"So... that's a yes?"

Tammy sighs. "You know I can't let you do this alone. But- but!- you also have to know that this doesn't mean that I'll keep doing this frequently now, or that I'll stop being who I am now. I love my family. For you it might seem like that was just a weird little phase for me, but please, try to understand that it's not. For me this heist thing will be like a little vacation, a special work trip that will be hard but rewarding and that yes, I might even enjoy for a while, but it's not who I am anymore! Okay?"

"But you're in." It's a statement, and Debbie can't supress a grin.

Tammy just sighs.

"Oh, come on Tam, let me be happy about this! I don't want to argue with you and you gotta know that I'll never try to make you leave your kid- kids?"

"A girl and a boy."

"Kids. I mean, you're right I don't understand it, but if we're working together again... Well, we'll get to know each other again, right?"

Tammy nods and, for the first time of the evening, sincerly smiles. Then her smile changes into a grin.

"So- talking about getting to know each other: what's with you and Lou?"

 

 

* * *

 

Meanwhile, Nine-Ball and Lou have managed to get everyone their drinks, taken the vodka bottle away from Constance and are now talking quietly while storing away the bottles.

"So, you really own a club?"

"Yea" Lou shrugs. "Why'd you ask?"

"Just surprised you'd go out of your way to be a criminal when you've got a gig already running smoothly, I guess"

Lou's silent for a moment while opening the cabinet and putting down the bottles. 

"I get why you'd think I should be more than okay with what I have... And I think, while Deb wasn't around for a while planning this heist, I nearly talked myself into believing that..."

"Deb's your..."

"Partner." Lou answers, letting Nine take that any way she wants. Nine nods for her to go on.

"But the thing is, doing a normal job, actually paying my taxes- that isn't me. I always end up finding ways to be criminal _somehow_ , it's who I am. And even while Deb wasn't here to remind me of the life in crime, I still wanted to leave, to travel... but the job doesn't allow that. Plus it isn't even a normal job, I have to wake up in the fucking middle of the night and-"

"Sounds like heaven." Nine says, completely dry.

Lou laughs. "Guess you'd be used to that, eh?"

Nine shrugs. "I like being awake at night. everything's quieter, more real... but I don't like the hacking. It's a job, and I'm good at it, but it's not life. What you're doing, your own club- or better, an own bar... that's my dream."

 

"Yeah?"

They've walked back to the others by now, and Lou sees Debbie and Tammy talking in the corner- they don't look hostile towards each other. Hopefully they figured out their issues. Deb was always happier when Tammy was her friend.

She turns back to Nine.

"Can I ask you something?"

Nine shrugs. "Shoot."

"You don't need to tell me your real name, but- why Nine? It's quite an unusual nickname"

Nine makes a face. But, for reasons unknown even to her, she decides to be truthful.

"Same reason I'd like to own a bar, I guess. When I was a kid, before my sister was born, when my mother was still around... sometimes, she and dad, or just dad when she was somewhere else, took me to their favourite bar. I liked it there, everyone was nice to me, I got orange juice for free and dad showed me how to play billiard. Some of my only happy memories from then. When he was drunk enough to talk to me instead of brood, but the alcohol hadn't passed through enough yet to shout as he later would at home ..."

Lou nods slowly.

She's still trying to come up with something to say when the by now very drunk Constance bumps into her, nearly falling and steadying herself by grabbing Lou's boob.

"Oooo hot!" Constance giggles and tries to grope again on purpose now, before Lou moves her hand away. Constance takes that as an invitation to take her hand. "Hullo beuiful, guess I made a perfec landing here..." she looks up at Lou's face, sees Lou's expression and freezes.

She blinks, trying to get her alcohol-clouded braincells to get her some answers... She's fairly certain she's been with this woman before? But not now, huh? And from the expression on her face she should know this, because-

Oh.

Shit.

 

Lou nearly has to laugh out loud as Constance's shocked face moves from looking at Lou to Debbie and back... Debbie has seen the exchange as well, she and Tammy , too, are supressing laughter. Deb is better at it, looking fairly intimidating as she stares Constance down, while Tammy just holds a hand in front of her face to hide her smile.

"I'm- I'm just gonna-"

Constance abruptly moves away, tries to turn around at the same time and nearly falls flat on her face. Trying to regain her dignity, she walks over to Amita and Rose who are looking at a fashion magazine.

"Hey! You knowhat, we should tol'ly not talk 'bout me righnow-" she says, throwing an arm over Amita's shoulder for balance. She's fairly certain Amita's straight, cause she didn't ping her gaydar, so that's okay. Right? Whatever, better than falling down.

"We were not going to, but now that you suggested it I am rather curious-" Rose starts, and Constance quickly interrupts her again.

"Amita!"

"...yes?"

"Doyou have a boyfriend? Girlfriend? Partner? Anybody?

"Um- no." Amita answers.

"Doyouwantone?"  
Amita backs away slightly, and Constance notices that she has accidentally come quite close to her face, with her own face.

Oups.

"I'm not really interested, in, um you?" Amita answers awkwardly.

"Not whatI meaannt!" Constance says.

Rose looks as if she's trying not to laugh. Constance scowls.

"Anyways. There's this awesome app called Tinder..."

 

"And I think that's our clue to break up this little party." Deb steps in. "Tammy, could you please call Constance a cab?"

"I can just drive her home, I only had half a glass of wine." Tammy gently pries Constance away from Amita and Rose, secretly glad for her experience with no other than Debbie herself in such situations. "Here, drink some water- do you still remember your address?"

 

 

With those two gone, the rest of the party breaks up quickly, Nine leaving with a quick goodbye and Rose hurriedly putting away the used glasses into the kitchen, knowing full well that Lou and Debbie will just leave them until tomorrow, and such chaos makes her anxious...

When she comes back, Amita is the only one left apart from the three of them, awkwardly standing there with her coat in her hands.

"I, um... I know we really only start tomorrow, but I really don't want to go back home after leaving like that, my mother will probably wake up as soon as I turn the key, and, well..." She trails of, awkwardly. It's not like her mother is a monster or anything, but still...

"Not a problem!" Rose quickly jumps in. "We have lots of unused rooms, I can show you around! I mean, if it's alright...?" She looks at Lou, although it merely feels like a formalty.

Lou nods, so she leads Amita upstairs.

 

Looking back, Rose sees Lou draw Debbie into her arms.

Yes, those have definitely well deserved a little alone time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chap will be just that alone time! Fluff and if anyone wants also some smut ahead :D


	11. Lou/Debbie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2018-09-29
> 
> Smut ahead! If you want to skip the M-rated part stop reading at the line in the middle of the chap!

Finally, everyone is leaving. 

After the stress of the day, Deb can't wait to just fall into Lou's arms and stop thinking, so she's immensely grateful as Rose volunteers to show Amita everything.

Lou seems to have read her thoughts, or perhaps she simply feels the same: opening her arms for Deb, she steps closer, and Debbie lets herself fall into the embrace, bury her nose in the crook of Lou's neck, and just _feel_.

 

Lou strokes her hair, reveling in the feeling of togetherness. 

After a while though, Debbie leaning on her gets quite heavy, and she gently moves her into the direction of the stairs.

They undress together, and while they do appreciate each others naked forms, they are simply too tired to do anything about it.

 

 _Like an old marries couple_ , Debbie thinks as she slips into her nightgown and moves to the bathroom to brush her teeth next to Lou who is already wearing her sleep shirt. _Maybe we should make real on the joking about proposals and diamonds_ , she thinks then. _We'll definitely have enough of the latter soon._

She tells herself to reconsider that in the morning, once she's fully awake again.

But after slipping into bed with Lou, curled around each other and completely content, she knows that there will be no second thoughts. 

 

 

* * *

The next morning, Debbie is woken up by her bladder demanding she move to the toilet.

Blinking against the dim light, she notes that Lou is completely spread out on top of her. Extracting herself from the human octopus, she moves to the bathroom.

When Deb returns, Lou is still asleep, having exchanged Debbie with a pillow as a cuddle buddy. Deb has to snort at the view. Lou might have a tough-girl image, but she's a goddamn cute teddy bear at heart.

 

As much as she would like to leave her girlfriend sleep, they are expecting the rest of their gang again later today and still have a lot to do... So, with a quick movement, Debbie pulls away the blanked from Lou's sleeping form.

And, as that doesn't get any reaction, the pillow under her head.

As Lou's arms tighten around the second pillow after that, Debbie is fairly certain that the other is mostly just feigning sleep.

She lets herself fall onto the bed next to her, making the bed shake and Lou groan disdainfully.

 

"Come on!" Deb decides to change her tactic. "If you wake up now, we still have time for a quicky before we have to get up..."

That has Lou open her eyes immediately.

She turns to Deb slightly and narrows her eyes, clearing her throat to speak and asks "You're not just saying that to make me get up, are you?" 

Debbie laughs. "When have I ever lied about sex, darling?"

 

Then she rolls on top of Lou and they're kissing, sliding together slowly, lips only parting to draw Lou's shirt over her head.

Deb kisses her way down Lou's body, pausing to lick and nip at her breasts and belly. 

Then she settles between her legs hands moving over Lou's tighs stroking, relaxing, bevor bending down and licking through Lou's folds.

Lou _whimpers_.

Smiling to herself, Deb looks up and establishes eye-contact before moving down again, fully intent to make Lou crazy for it.

She licks at her clit, suckles at her outer lips, then drawing her tongue through her folds again, and oh Lou is so wet already, Deb is reveling in the knowledge that she made her that way.

Moving back to her clit, she keeps steady motions of sucking and licking, and soon Lou's hand tangles into her hair and her pelvis pushes towards Debbie, searching even more friction, Lou is moaning and writhing and Debbie moves her tongue even faster despite feeling her muscles ache already, and then it's all worth it as Lou shudders against her and comes with a whimpered "Debbie!"

 

For a minute, Deb allows herself to keep laying there between Lou's legs, but then she forces herself to get up as she know otherwise she'd just nod of again.

Lou is completely fucked out, still breathing heavily, and she looks so content and beautiful, Deb decides to allow her a little more time before she'll force her to move, too.

 

Fully dressed, she comes back from bathroom and stands in front of the tall mirror to adjust her outfit and put on make-up.

Looking back to the bed in the reflection, Deb smirks at the sight: Lou is still completely blissed out, staring at the ceiling. 

Over her shoulder, Debbie remarks "Look at what a precious pillow princess you are!" she giggles. "Are you even able to move? I think I broke you."

 

She shouldn't have said that.

Or no, actually, if this is the reaction then she totally said the right thing.

Lou gets out of bed in an instant, pressing Deb against the wall and growling into her ear:

"I'll show you pillow princess!"

Debbie shivers.

 

Lou doesn't bother undressing her, just holding one of Deb's wrists to the wall, restraining her, while moving her other hand under the skirt of Deb's dress.

Then she halts, lifting an eyebrow at Deb- it isn't often that Debbie actually refuses sex, but to be honest Lou has no idea how late it actually is and whether or not they'll be late for anything, and either way she likes having Deb's enthusiastic consent.

Debbie nods jerkily, already feeling herself get wet and hoping for Lou to _hurry the fuck up-_

 

Lou fondles her through her panties, smiling gleefully as she notes how wet Deb is already. 

"Liked looking at me, all spread out for you, did ya? Well, now I'll take you..."

With those words, Lounge pushes the part of the panties that are covering Deb's cunt to the side and unceremoniously slips a finger into her lover. Deb's head thumps against the wall as she feels Lou entering her.

 

Slowly, teasing her, Lou draws her finger back out, and just as Deb opens her mouth, ready to _beg_ for Lou to do something, she thrusts two fingers back in, setting a hard and fast pace, and Debbie _keens_.

All she can do is hold herself upright by pressing the nails of her free hand into Lou's shoulder while Lounge fucks her, she's shivering, moving to meet Lou's thrusts and jerking whenever Lou meets her sweet spot...

It doesn't take very long until she's completely gone, pressing her hips forward with her head thrown back, eyes falling shut as orgasm rushes through her.

Everything whites out, and if Lou hadn't been there Deb is sure she would have collapsed. 

 

Lou waits until Deb stops shuddering, then slowly removes her fingers, drawing another twitch from her over-sensitive lover.

Debbie blinks her eyes open and grins lazily at Lou.

Lou laughs and kisses her on the lips.

"Hey you"

Debbie giggles, then she snorts. "I guess the best way to wake you up is not sexing you but having you sex me? I could get used to that."

Lou laughs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the only femslash couple I'm writing atm so it's already been a few- I think weeks?? Since I wrote any f/f smut, hope this turned out okay!
> 
>  
> 
> Kudos and comments sustain me! :D


	12. Tammy/Thomas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2018-10-02  
> Should I start tagging this fic with the mixed category bc it has a straight couple now? I mean, the focus is still on f/f, so... idk

It's late once Tammy gets home after delivering Constance to her little shared apartment.

And that in itself was a hardship- Constance wasn't able to find her keys- nor to pick the lock, with how drunk she was- and her flatmates apparently didn't feel like opening the door, either.

So Tammy had to get out of the car to pick the lock herself. Thankfully, one does not unlearn that skill easily.

 

As she finally pulls into the driveway of her home, she sees light still on in the living room... so Thomas stayed up waiting for her, despite the late hour.

Tammy smiles. He's way too good for her.

Well, at least this means she will be able to talk things through with him before dissappearing again tomorrow.

While Tammy knows that really, she's already decided to do the job, she still wants to ask him whether it's okay. She doesn't think he will actually try to stop her, he knows her too well for that. And he's always stood behind her no matter what.

Still, she doesn't want to decide something as important as this without consulting him. And she doesn't want to leave him in the dark either, he'd just worry about her when she'd suddenly be gone every other day.

 

"Hey honey" she calls out quietly while closing the door, aware of the children asleep upstairs. "You didn't need to stay awake, I know you have to be in the office early tomorrow!"

"And you know I would rather be a little sleep deprived than not see you at all in a day."

He gets up from the couch as she steps into the room and pulls her close. With a sigh, she leans her cheek against his shoulder. Why does everything have to have a downside?

 

As he starts to stroke her back soothingly, she knows that he has immediately caught on to her mood.

Tammy sighs again. A part of her would like to stay in this cocoon of warmth forever, just stay at home and let crime be crime without her...

But a different, stronger part of her is too curious and ambitious for that, wants to know what will happen, whether they will really be able to pull this of. And she needs to tell him about it before really giving in to that part.

 

"What is it?" he asks, making the explaning easier for her.

"A friend of mine- Debbie, you remember her? I think you've met her once."

"I don't think she liked me much" he chuckles.

"She just doesn't think this life suits me. She doesn't know me anymore- not like you do." They've been over this. It still doesn't hurt to say it again.

 

"So, what is with her?"

She looks down, wondering how to start this. She wants to blurt out first that he doesn't have to worry, that this is a one time thing, helping a friend who's just been released from jail and needs this now. And that it's a job this ensanely big that she won't ever do something like it ever again anyway.

But it's probably better to start from the beginning. And he knows her, trusts her, he will know that she will always come back- has to know this.

 

Seeing her uncertainty, Tom sits back down onto the couch and pats the place beside him, inviting her to join him.

With a sigh, she sits down, once again leaning onto him.

 

"Debbie is planning a job."

"And you want to be a part of it."

It's not a question.

"Yes. But-"

"How long will it take?"

"What?"

He laughs. "Come on, you did not seriously think I'd believe you aren't coming back? So, how long?"

"Uh, I don't actually know- I mean the- uh- the thing- is pretty soon, but I might still be needed for a while after... But I can probably come home then and only go back in case I'm needed."

"So, whatever you're doing isn't too far away?"

"Uh- no." So much, she supposes, is safe to say without revealing anything that could cause him trouble, should anything go wrong.

 

For a while they sit in silence.

"It's a pretty big job" she feels the need to add. "I mean, not just bigger than everything that's in our garage..."

"Just be careful." He caresses her arm, and she takes his hand into hers.

"I always am."

"You know, I always thought you'd probably go back to doing this." He contemplates.

"What? Why??"

"It's a part of you," Thomas shrugs. "and I know you keep saying it's just your past- but your past is a part of you, too. And in this case it's a pretty big one, I think, as well as something you never wanted to leave behind entirely."

Tammy looks at him fondly. "You know me better than I know myself sometimes."

He smiles at her. "That's why we have each other."

 

 

 

 

 

In the next morning, despite only having slept for about four hours, Tammy immediately forces herself to be fully awake as Thomas' alarm goes of.

Who knows whether she will be seeing him at all for the next days or weeks.

They kiss each other goodbye.

"Be careful." He repeats.

"I always am."

He smiles, and then he's gone. Just to work, same as every day. She's the one making the odd disappearance.

 

After organizing a nanny for the children- Sam insists that she is able to take care of herself and her brother, but Tammy isn't all so sure about that- Tammy tells the children to play in the garden and goes back inside herself.

While waiting for the nanny to arrive, she's picking up everything from the garage and other secret hiding spots around the house that she thinks she might need over the course of the next days.

Marek runs past her on his way to the bathroom just as she closes a secret panel in the wall- She freezes, but he doesn't even glance back at what she's doing. Oh, Tammy is glad that her kids aren't old enough to question anything yet. Well, they have tons of questions, but they are used to that- children don't consider it strange not to understand something, as they rarely understand anything from the world of adults.

 

The nanny arrives- Tammy is glad that it's someone who has been there before, so she doesn't have to vet her, instead giving her a spare set of keys, saying how there's leftovers in the fridge and she's ready to go.

Samantha barely says goodbye, instead immediately pulling the nanny out into the garden and towards the complicated tower she built out of a collection of her own and her brother's toys. Tammy watches her go and smiles softly. She's not mad at her daughter for having more interesting things to do right now, but a little sad not to get a proper goodbye.

But Marek wants to accompany her outside, not even letting go of her hand when she has to carry her bags. Now, at least one person who doesn't like seeing me go, Tammy thinks to herself. Why can't children stay this young forever?

 

"Mommy, where are you going?" Marek asks for the third time as they walk to the car.

"I'm going to the big city!" she patiently explains again.

"How loong?"

Smiling down at him, she answers "Uh, not too long, mommy will be back before you know it."

Letting go of his hand, she opens the trunk and starts putting her bags inside.

"What are you gonna do?" Marek asks, hands stuffed into his pockets and a mixture of curiosity and grumpyness on his face.

"I'm going to help my friend Debbie with her job."

"What kind of job?"

"It's complicated." Which translates into: please don't ask anything else about that.

"Can I come with you?"

"No, sweety, this is mommy's very special work trip."

And while Tammy is sad not to see her family for the next days, she's also _very_ glad to know them all to be safely at home, far away from anything illegal or dangerous.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was really hard to write because- straight. And children. Can't relate.
> 
> Hope I did a decent job of it either way, let me know what you think!


	13. Constance et al.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2018-10-07  
> So sorry that I haven't updated this in nearly a week! Will try to post more regularly now :]

After the morning's- uhum- _activities_ , Debbie and Lou are indeed running quite late...

Cursing, Debbie fixes her dress again and pushes Lou into the bathroom to get ready while she finishes her makeup and looks for her cellphone.

 

As they hurry down the stairs- Debbie already on the phone with a 'save' moving company, and Lou doesn't even know what they're moving yet- the smell of toast is floating up to them.

"I love you both" Lou groans, taking a plate of toast from Rose and already slinging down the first bites before taking a glass of o-juice from Amita, who giggles embarrasedly.

Debbie just takes a piece from Lou's plate, presses a kiss to her cheek, waves at the others and disappears down the hall.

 

 

 

A few hours later, the others arrive- sans Constance, but Lou assures Debbie that she will be able to fill her in on everything later.

So she starts her briefing- mainly establishing who will be responsible for which position during the heist, and giving orders to the ones that didn't yet know what to do with themselves during the day. 

Then she withdraws again with her phone. There are many details yet to clarify, many people to hire last-minute to avoid stupid questions. And of course, they always need money... Now that's a job Debby can do in her sleep.

 

 

"It is my account, it is my money, and the only reason I cannot access it is that I cannot remember the make and model of my second cousins first car. So if you could just- sigh, breathing, trying to control herself- ...I don't wanna make a withdrawal, I would like to make a deposit!"

Right as she finishes her little performance, she sees Constance coming closer in the mirror.

Oh dear.

From what Lou had texted her while hanging out with some of the others in the hall, Constance had decided to ignore the awkwardness and act as if nothing happened... Still.

 

"Hey uh-"

The woman just walks in and starts talking, completely oblivious that Debbie plus phone could mean important fucking business.

She quiets her with a hand motion as she hears someone finally say what she wants to hear on the other end of the line.

"Yes, exactly! Yes. Yes I'll hold."

 

Turning to Constance, she asks: "What's up?"

"Um, I was wondering if I could get a metro card, cause I'm skating here from Queens like every day..."

It's the second time Constance had to skate here. And she hadn't even had to skate back yesterday as Tammy had driven her home. But okay.

"Can I get a metro card?"

Now that throws Debbie of her track for a second. A pickpocket asks for a metro card? What?

"I, uh, I I don't have a metro card."

"You don't have a metro card." seems like that's what it took to shatter Constance's world view.

"I don't have a metro card" Deb repeats.

"What are you, a tourist?"

Now to that she can only laugh.

At least Constance now does act the same kind of weird around her as she does around the others, and isn't trying to run away the second she looks at her... So she'll take the weirdness as a win, and hands her a bill.

"Fascinating." 

"What, you just give me one dub for a metrocard? That's it?"

Debbie resists the urge to roll her eyes. "Listen. We steal fifty million dollars, I'll buy everybody metro cards. How's that."

"Kay" Constance turns to move away, then spots the picture of Danny Debbie put up.

"Your brother?"

"Mhm."

"He's hot!"

Okay, maybe Debbie had liked the scared version of Constance better than this.

"You sure he's dead or...?"

"Mm-no"

Now _that_ throws of Constance, she closes her mouth, keeps looking for a moment and then just walks away.

Deb breathes a sigh of relief.

But then her phone comes back to live, and her mind goes back to business.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Btw off topic for some reason Christine from the YouTube channel Simplynailogical and her bf Ben kinda remind me of the relationship dynamic I'd expect for Rose/Daphnia?? Idek. But go check out the yt if you're into funny nail art or just funny weirdos (for the latter especially that vid: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fRPJvvx8fHQ xD)  
> I kinda have a love-hate-relationship with the channel because- well, I'm not actually that much into the beauty stuff, and Christine sometimes comes over a bit silly, and her shrill voice tends to give one headaches- but she's also so loveable and funny and cute and Idek (okay after that entire list: that might be the reason why I compare her to Daphne. And her bf is Rose cause while he does sometimes give long-suffering looks @ the camera, he supports her in everything she does and would never say anything actually hurtful... And is sometimes better at the creative stuff than she is (see some more warermarbeling videos xD) so yeah.)  
> Omg what a long text just about off topic YTers.  
> But yeah I've been binging that, plz ignore me xD


	14. Lou

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2018-10-11  
> Againnn it's been days, I didn't have time to write anything but drabbles lately :s sorry!  
> 2018-10-12  
> Updated for [MoonshineMadame](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonshineMadame/pseuds/MoonshineMadame)! If you read the first part already start reading at the line :)
> 
> 2018-10-15  
> Updated Again!

Lou doesn't see much of Debbie that day.

After disappearing in the early morning, she only shows up to brief the team, then putting her phone off silent and immediately getting a call again... 

They didn't even have time for a kiss, and every word they spoke was job-related.

'Maybe I should call her myself, to get an update on what's going on' Lpu thinks. But she smiles at the thought, there's no serious anger there.

She had knows from the start that during the heist, there would be no time for feelings. No energy, either, with everyone's full focus on the job.

And now that it's time, while it is still an unwanted turn of events that she doesn't see Debbie all the time anymore, it was expected, and Lou has no doubt that once everything is done, they will find back to each other.

They always did, so far- and now, their connection is stronger than ever. They'll be okay.

That Debbie actually risked being late this morning just to sleep with her only confirms Lou in this.

 

But it doesn't mean she can't mope a little.

Especially because she doesn't have anything to do at the moment. 

Yes, there is still one member or acquaintance of the team that needs recruiting- for what, Deb didn't tell her yet, but Lou has no doubt that it will be something entirely insane, risky and very lucrative- but she thought it would be better to stick around during the first day of the newbies, especially with Deb as busy as she is.

Except they seem to be doing their job well... Everyone in sync already, knowing exactly what they came here to do after only the simplest of briefings.

Except for Constance, who shows up a few minutes late, but Lou thinks that that's only to prove a point- she wants a metro card.

Lou snorts and sends her to Debbie- after all, this is job related, and the two of them should learn to get along without awkwardness before the heist night starts.

 

Then she wanders out of the way a little and up the stairs, looking down at the controlled chaos under her.

Yes, Lou does understand why Debbie needs to do this. Why, maybe, she herself needed this too.

It's freeing, thrilling and completely engaging like nothing else could ever be, and they're barely finished with the planning phase yet.

Lou loves her new team, and she definitely loves her job.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Around lunchtime, there's commotion downstairs while most of the others are in the kitchen grabbing a bite to eat.

Tammy- while on her phone talking to her kid,  as it's probably lunch-break in school now, too- directs a few guys from a moving company where to put the giant wooden boxes they delivered.

Lou, still watching from the upper floor railing, scrunches up her forehead in confusion. What in the world do they need something is this size? 

 

"... I just got Debbie a brand new toy and I can't wait to play with it." Tammy finishes her phonecall.

Nine Ball, just walking back to her laptop with a bagel in hand, snorts and mouthed to Lou "What kinda 'toy'?"

Lou rolls her eyes, but she can't suppress a grin herself. She likes Tam, but with her baby speech which is sometimes obviously ambiguous to anyone past puberty... It's hard not to make fun of her.

 

"Hey, Lou!" Tammy calls up to her right as she thinks that, and Lou blinks down to her, trying to look innocent. 

"Could you tell Debbie that the 3D printer arrived? She wanted to do a test run as soon as possible, and I still have to unpack this so-"

"Sure" Lou hops down and goes to find Deb.

 

She finds her in the bathroom- probably the quietest place right now while still being closeby. 

"Hey" Lou whispers, not wanting to interrupt her phonecall, and scribbles 'Tammy is 3D printing' onto a piece of paper. 

Deb nods, obviously grateful, motions for Lou to stay, puts her phone on speaker and tries to wrap up the phonecall. It's just Reuben anyway, having caught her after a call to get a food truck. Because yes, they'll need that, too. For reasons.

Lou leans against the doorframe and listens.

"You're ready trying to talk me out of this, till the last minute?" 

"No" Reuben answers and sighs. "At this point, all I'm trying to do is make sure you try to stay safe."

"I'll make sure of it!" Lou calls over, and Debbie hangs up before Reuben can answer.

 

"Thanks. He was starting to go on my nerves."

"The old man just worries" Lou shrugs. "Which, understandable, given what we're doing. And either way, you could've handled him yourself."

Deb smiles. "Sure I could, but this way's more fun." 

She walks up to Lou, pressing a loving kiss to her lips before walking past her. 

"You coming?" 

Smirking, Lou pushes herself from the door and follows.

 

 

* * *

 

What Tammy did with the printer is already impressive, but even more so are the nonassuming but apparently very hightech glasses she hands over to Deb.

"Here are your very special glasses..."

Talking baby speech again... She really is in this deep, Lou thinks. How can Debbie not see it? She hopes the friends will figure their shit out rather sooner than later. 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is anyone still reading this? If not I'll probably focus on catching up with my other WIPs first.


	15. Cartier

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2018-10-17  
> Thank you to everyone who commented so far! Y'all really keep this running :D

It's really beginning. 

Amita and Rose must have nearly reached their destination now, and the rest of the crew have cummulated in the room where Nine-Ball will be traching the progress, everyone pretending like they have a legit reason to hang out there exactly then.

 

Debbie tries not to show her anxiety.

It doesn't matter what will happen today, she tells herself. Tammy's fancy 3D printer had never been their only idea to get a necklace copy, and if they don't get a copy at all they will just have to be quick. 

And if they aren't allowed to use the Toussaint at all, there are other necklaces that fit the theme. 

Debbie had been over this a hundred times. She's had years to do so, after all.

And yet she is nervous. 

Everything went so well so far. Can it really keep going that way?

 

Her phone beeps, Amita checked in to let them know that they reached their destination. 

Deb nearly drops her phone.

It's just one necklace, she tells herself again. If everything will go as she planned, all this necklace will do is serve the purpose of getting Becker the jail time he deserves. 

 

Deb nods at Nine to open the programme. 

Lou and Tammy, having noticed that something's going on, come closer to get a look at the screen. Constance is quick to follow, all pretence of being busy forgotten. 

Standing next to Debbie, Lou places a reassuring hand onto her back, calming her. 

Debbie smiles.

 

 

* * *

 

 

It's thrilling, enthralling, and Deb can only stop herself from biting on her lips some of the time.

Why is the signal not working?

Should they have come closer to the thing? 

Still, if Rose can get it to a fitting session before the Met they could try again...

It's not the end of the world.

Really.

 

Then the signal is there and Debbie has to grip the desk she's so relieved.

It's working!

Watching the percentage number climb higher, she doesn't even notice she's holding her breath until it's finished and she can let it out again.

It's finished. They really did it, did they?

"Nine?" Deb asks after everyone quieted down again, not showing her inner turmoil. 

"Everything there as it should be" Nine confirms. "Can connect it to print right now?"

Deb nods.

 

 

As Rose and Amita come back, still running on adrenaline of a job well done and, in Rose's case, probably way too much caffeine, Deb feels another surge of anxiety run through her as she finally understands what they're trying to say in their rambling: it was such a close call, and so often.

But they did it.

Debbie has an amazing team.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments really make my day :)
> 
> Find me on tumblr and instagram @lilolilyrae


	16. Daphne and Rose

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2018-10-23  
> From looking at my notes I think we're at about min 40 of the film now, but I haven't actually watched it in a while :s

As the Met Gala is coming closer, Daphne starts feeling the stress of it all.

She's been to big events before, and she has hosted events in the past as well- but not one like this, and especially not with only herself in such a role of spotlight. 

 _It will be a milestone in my career_ , she tells herself as she wakes up after four hours of sleep to go through her speeches. 

 _All their opinions don't matter_ , she tells herself as she is once again being treated like a complete dumbass by an assistant manager of god knows what famous fu- anyway, someone who clearly doesn't know her enough to have such an opinion about her.

But no matter what she tells herself, she still feels the strain. Especially due to the fact that most of the time, no matter how many people are busying themselves around her, she is feeling completely and utterly left alone.

 

 

 

There is only one who seems to be different:  _Rose Weil._

The woman takes her seriously, doesn't just dismiss her opinions on the design of her dress, and actually sticks around longer than necessary at times, just to talk to her.

Daphne doesn't trust people easily, but with Rose she almost believes that the woman doesn't have a hidden agenda.

 

Until it comes to the necklace.

Rose seems to have a weird- _obsession_ with that thing.

First Daphne thinks it's just the fact that it's fucking _crown jewels_ , and that Rose needs to have them, not only because of the theme of the gala, but because that would give her enough press to redeem her reputation...

Which, yes, Daphne has read up on Rose, and while she's content with Rose's work as a designer, she frankly can't picture how on earth the woman had ever gotten a meeting with Penelope Stern in the first place, as her career is currently on rock bottom.

But then why doesn't she say so? They've talked enough that Rose must know Daphne isn't completely uneducated on issues such as marketing, and press would always be good for her as well. She can warm up to the idea of wearing five pounds of diamonds if Rose thinks that would get them both the publicity of the century!

Instead, Rose is swooning over how Daphne's neck is the _only_ one that could carry of that necklace, which- sorry, what?

Yeah, even if Rose is as into her as Daphne sometimes silently suspected, there's no way she's blinded enough by her feelings not to reckognise that there are a thousand other popular women, some of which going to the same bloody ball, who have necks similar to Daphne's own.

So there must be something else...

And Daphne will be damned if she doesn't find out just what exactly it is.

But for now, she'll simply enjoy being showered by Rose's affections. Even if the knowledge that the compliments aren't real does but a damper on things.

Oh well, fake love is what she's used to.

 

* * *

 

 

They really printed a replica of the necklace!

 

Standing in front of the mannequin with the sirconium jewels, Rose draws in a breath as she softly touches the glittering material. 

She's glad that no-one else is there to watch her, they would think her to be so perfectly _superficial_ , and when has that word not been used in a condescending way?

 

So what if there's a little truth to it.

A part of Rose does wish she could wear something like the real necklace herself one day...

She has always been somewhat jealous of the people in the spotlight, didn't want to just dress them.

It's perhaps why she spent so much- _too much-_ money on arbitrary, well, rich people stuff.

She had simply wanted to fit in... but that was a toxic lifestyle.

 

No matter how much money she'll have left after this heist and then after paying back her debts... Rose knows she will never go back to that.

But looking at the tussaint, there's a lingering sadness of a way of life lost to her.

Or maybe it's just that it's what she had been told since a young age what is the most achievable... not for her, not anymore.

She will turn her back on this. And even better, she already has plans for a better life for herself.

 

 

But first, they have to steal the diamonds.

Rose goes to visit Daphne for fittings as often as both their schedules allow.

At first she tells herself that it's to get everything done perfectly, the outfit has to go well with the jewels or it could stand out suspiciously...

Soon, however, Rose finds herself staying even after the work is done, talking to Daphne about everything under the sun not caring that it has nothing to do with either woman's jobs.

 _Maybe Daphne likes me back, then_ , Rose thinks, as one day the other woman's manager storms into the room telling her to get ready for an interview fast, as she had apparently lost track of time.

 

Everything is going wonderfully. 

Until Rose for the first time brings in the necklace-prop to see the proportions on Daphne's body in real life before deciding on the cleavage of the dress and a few other details.

Daphne hates the necklace. 

Rose nearly freezes as she hears this.

Daphne _can't_ hate the necklace! 

_What to say, what to say..._

Knowing fashion-wise the necklace truly isn't the best decision, and completely drawing a blank on other arguments Rose simply compliments her, telling her she is perfect to pull the necklace of...

 "You're gonna light up the sky!"

And the thing is: none of what she says actually feels like a lie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Excuse me lads, I'm a mess!  
> But isn't it just tragic, with Daphne thinking the only person she almost trusted doesn't truly like her, while Rose is almost forgetting her job and probably being late to HeistMeetings with how much she _does_ like Daphne?? My poor heart. But don't worry they'll find their way towards each other. Eventually. Don't know how yet. Ideas?
> 
> Oh, and who should I focus on for the next chapter(s)?


	17. Domestic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2018-10-28 Domestic  
> Focus on Lou, Constance and especially Amita! She's asexual in this series, it's mentioned in an older part already :)
> 
> 2018-11-03 Inside Job  
> Tam and Debbie in the Met.
> 
> 2018-11-08 Debbie and Tammy  
> More Deb&Tam friendship :)

Lou lets her eyes swipe over the room.

Long gone is her cozy soleness, now people are everywhere, there's new furniture cluttering the entrance hall, and bottles and dirty dishes are stacked in the kitchen. 

Which- ehat did she even get a dishwasher for if nobody cares to use it??

Yes, obviously no-one wanted to do the dishes when there wasn't one at hand yet, hand-washing plates of seven people is just more work than of one alone, and obviously as soon as the possibility of someone else cleaning up their messes, people- especially people like Constance- just don't clean up after themselves anymore.

So Lou got the dishwasher. 

Yet nothing changed!

God she sounds like an awful mother type person in her own mind.

But it's really not like there's no-one currently available and with free time at hand, Constance and Amita are even standing on the kitchen, apparently the former is teaching the latter how to tinder.

Oh dear.

 

"If you like him, you go right, and if you don't-"

"I go left!"

"Yeah, you go left-"

 

Lou does not want to deal with this.

She's tired, groggy and exhausted from planning the moves in the met all night, and now Tammy and Debbie are out executing those steps, and Lou has nothing to do, and it's setting her on edge.

Why can't this be over already. 

 

Moving into another room looking for better company, she finds the space usually occupied by Rose or Nine empty. 

Oh well. Might as well go back to sleep, then...

 

 

 

Meanwhile, Amita is still fascinated by the dating app Constance introduced her to.

She doesn't really believe that anything will come of it... But it never hurts to dream, right?

Plus, if she does go on a date with someone and it ends badly, it better be someone none of her friends or family know about. 

 

She looks down at her phone and finds herself staring into the eyes of a stranger.

Next to her, Constance is bouncing on her toes, clearly over-eager.

"So do you like him..."

"Oh i like him a lot!" Amita hears herself say.

"Okay. Why"

"He looks kind. I'm gonna swipe right."

Something happens on the phone then and suddenly the layout is completely different. Next to her, Constance is freaking out:

"Oh my god, he like you back! He likes you too!"

"What happens now- what happens now?"

"So, you can message him, and you can say maybe like the eggplant emoji, or maybe the girl that does this-"

Constance does a complicated thing with her arms. Amita can safely say that she has never seen or noticed that emoji in her life.

"Why...?" 

 "Oooh well" Constance giggles, "Just do it! Gonna be fun"

So Amita Indulges her and sends the dancing girl emoji. It's not like she has anything to lose, she would have never downloaded the app without Constance, so if Constance now makes sure no-one on there takes her seriously- oh well.

"And now...?"

"And now we wait!"

But in that moment there's already a reply: 

 

 

> Hello, I'm Marcus, sorry my friends made me get this dating app, so I don't really know how to act on here- but, nice to meet you?

Amita squeals and shows Constance the message. 

But before the other can reply, she immediately gets serious. She feels like she'd be leading the guy on if she replied again. While it's probably not a hundred percent expected thing that a dating app leads to sex, it's definitely still up there, and well-

Amita just isn't into that.

 

"Oy, what's with the face? He wrote you back!"

Amita just shrugs. 

"I- sorry, this was a bad idea. I mean, I thought it could be fun, but- that's a real person there, and he's expecting something, and I- I'm just- _not like that."_

"Not like what?"

"Like- I don't want sex, like!"

There, it's out.

 

"Ooooh, like, ever?" at Amita's shy nod, Constance continue: "Gosh, you're ace!"

"I'm what?"

"Asexual! Like, you don't want to have sex, ever, or if you're not attracted to like, anyone- that's being ace!"

"That's a real thing?!"

"Sure! Okay-" Constance purses her lips- "maybe don't use the eggplant emoji anymore? Like, ever?"

By now well aware what it must stand for, Amita plays innocent: "Why, what does it mean?"

"Just never ever use it!!! Promise!!!!!"

Amita bites back a laugh. "And what if I actually want to say eggplant?"

Constance seems to consider that for a minute, draws in a breath, then let's it out again with a shudder. " _Nope!_ Uh...Just type it?? Isn't that how old people roll anyways?"

Amita punches her in the arm for that. Hard.

Constance rolls her eyes.

"Okay, now let's write into your profile that you're asexual, and then you can continue writing your actual nice guy nice guy without feeling like you're leading him on!"

Amita has never been so grateful. 

 

* * *

 

 

Meanwhile, Tam and Debbie are having the time of their lives.

 

They went to the Met in different cabs, twenty minutes apart- Tam first, to make her way to the agreed-on spot in a slow, leisurely path, then Debbie, carrying the item of importance.

But for the minutes that really matter, they are both in place. 

 

One last check of the time, and it's a go.

Deb grins into the handkerchief covering her face.

It's nice to be out again, feeling the thrill, doing some crime.

Her disguise is easy: just glasses and a handkerchief pulled in front of her face whenever she's facing a camera.

 

Tammy, ever the innocent and unconvicted, of course doesn't have to cover her face at all. Which makes her perfect for the job of distracting a guard...

For now, Debbie just finds it fascinating how little people notice what's right in front of them: She's carrying a giant framed picture, in the middle of the Met, for god's sake! 

Sure, it's covered so far, but still- the shape should be pretty goddamn obvious. 

Nine is meanwhile clicking around in the cameras, fucking shit up enough for Deb to pass through unseen. Passerbys might be functional blinds, but the security personell sure isn't.

 

Then Deb sees Tammy, just where they agreed to be.

Quick eyecontact before the other goes up to the single guard in the area.

"Excuse me? I think I'm a little lost..."

"Of course ma'am."

"So I came from here..."

 

 

The dumb blonde role has always been one of Tam's favourites, and when she can give it a little class with an outfit and the right location... Oh, Tammy loves having people underestimate her.

Makes them feel in charge- and blind to any danger. 

Only a few seconds later, the guard does notice the turmoil forming, no doubt, around the new 'banksy' painting. 

Sticking to her role, Tammy shrugs and moves into the direction the man had pointed out earlier.

 

 

Meeting up with Deb in a café closeby, the two share one look and burst out laughing. 

Damn, that job was good.

"You ladies okay? Can I bring you anything?" the barista asks, no doubt a little confused by them giggling like school-children.

"We're good." Deb snorts.

"Splendid!" Tam agrees, still giggling. "But I'd like a cappuccino, please"

"Coming right up."

 

* * *

 

 

After drinking their coffee, Debbie starts getting antsy, wriggling around on her chair, obviously ready to jump up and leave but not wanting to tell Tam the reason.

As if she didn't already know...

For a minute, Tammy contemplates letting Deb dangle like this, maybe ordering a dessert or a full meal...

But no, that would just be cruel.

 

"Want to go back to your girl?"

"Damn right I do!" Deb blurts out, then blushes.

Tammy is once again overcome by a fit of laughter.

Deb had always been horny when still running on adrenaline after a job, back when they had still been together. 

One more reason why they didn't work out as lovers, but were even better friends: Tammy just went silent and tired after a job well done- the good kind of exhaustion that makes you feel content and sleepy, but exhaustion nonetheless.

 

Deb boxes her in the shoulder.

"Don't laugh at me, pay and let's go!"

Smiling, Tammy does just that.

 

"Then go get some" she says. "I'll just get some groceries and go home, Tom is probably working longer today and I don't want the babysitter to stay up so late... I'll be back in the morning." 

 

Deb gives her a quick hug, and off she goes.

But it doesn't feel like the awkward goodbyes they had in the near past- they're in sync again.

Debbie didn't even make a face at the mention of Thomas and the kids- and she used to do that a lot, although Tam is pretty certain that most of the time the little grossed out twitches of forehead and mouth had been subconscious. 

It seems like the job, and maybe the fact that Tammy still wants to go back to her family immediately after, made Debbie finally understand that Tam is serious about this, and that it is the right choice for her.

It's good to have her friend back.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anybody want some Debbie/Lou porn next?


	18. Lou/Debbie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2018-11-10
> 
> Btw I don't know whether I'm writing enough sex scenes in this story for Deb/Lou to come across as as sexually active as I imagine them to be, I mean sure they're busy with the heist so maybe it's a bit less than they'd like because they just don't find the time, but still if you ever feel like they're going through too much of a dryspan without it being actually mentioned in the fic, they're not, just imagine more going on behind the scenes xD also I think I noticed that I might have written Lou/Deb more often than Deb/Lou if you know what I mean, not intentional, they're both very fulfilled in this relationship in every way! xD
> 
> Anyways... Have fun.
> 
>  

 

Debbie lets the door fall closed behind her with a bang, not caring who might hear.

"Oh, is everything alright? Did it not go as planned?" Rose asks, hastily standing up from her armchair and nearly knocking over a vase of flower on the table. Deb barely sees or hear her.

"Everything went amazing" she says, a grin on her face that, in retrospect, might make her look a little like a manic. At least judging by how Rose takes an involuntary step back, path free for Debbie to go find her girl.

God, right now she just wants to take Lou.  
Or have Lou take her.  
Anything, really, as long as it's hard and fast and _now_ -

 

Lou is waiting for her in the bedroom, Deb has barely dropped her coat to the floor when strong arms are dragging her closer.

"Tammy texted ahead" Lou mumbles into her ear, already opening the buttons of her shirt. "You in the mood for something good, babe?"

"Gosh, yes- and Tam really is a good friend, you were totally right about that by the way bot just because she texted ahead, also the other stuff- but I really don't want to be thinking about Tammy right now!" Deb gasps out the last words as Lou's teeth have found her neck while hands are getting rid of the rest of their clothes.

"Then I guess I'll just have to make you forget about anyone else but us" Lou whispers into her ear seductively, and Deb feels herself land on the bed rather than noticing how Lou has pushed her onto it.

"Fuck, yes, please-" how is she begging already, they've barely even started... But somehow, she doesn't quite care.

Lou laughs quietly, holding herself up over Debbie and taking in the sight of her lover before taking both of Deb's wrists in one hand and pinning them over her head and bending down to suck a hickey onto her collarbone.

"Fuck, yes, Lou-"

Well, if she's still able to talk, Lou must be doing something wrong- or simply not yet enough.

After giving Deb's wrists another squeeze to tell her to stay in place, Lou let's go of her and moves down her body, timing her movements and simultaneously twisting Deb's right nipple with the fingers of her left hand, scratching her teeth over her right breast, and dragging her left middle finger through her already very wet folds.

 

Deb gasps, pressing against her, looking positively illegal the way she's squirming on the bed, spreading her legs wider with her eyes half closed and her arms still stretched above her head, breasts and pussy exposed to the cold air...

Except Lou is there, scratching across the inside of her breasts and over her stomach while settling in between her legs, holding apart Deb's lips and starting to lick.

Debbie howls, arching into her, one of her hands falling down to grab Lou's head and pull her deeper against and what feels like into her-

And suddenly Lou breaks away, not touching anywhere anymore except for where Deb is holding onto her.

She looks at her, raising an eyebrow, and Debbie understands her orders.

With a whimper, she goes boneless against the sheets, raising both hands above her head once more and closing her eyes to get control of the suddenly a hundred times more arousing situation- 

But she doesn't get the chance, as Lou is back, nibbling and kissing her upper tigh while spreading her folds with her hands, and them she's licking again, and two fingers find their way into Debbie, thrusting and curling... 

Moans start falling from Debbie's lips, maybe words as well, she knows she's trying to say Lou's name-

keeping her hands above her head is a seemingly endless struggle, and with her focus thus bunched up, and the way Lou keeps moving against and inside her, it doesn't take long for Deb to get close, hips lifting from the mattress, Lou moving even faster as she notices, and Deb is coming, coming, seeing stars in front of her eyes as she shudders in her lover's arms.

 

Lou strokes her through the aftershocks, the kissing her way up Debbie's body while the other comes back to herself.

Their lips meet in a lazy, comfortable kiss.

Lou winks at Deb as they break apart.

"Had a good job going earlier, darling?" 

Debbie can only laugh in agreement.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me if you liked it! 
> 
> Soo, I think I really need to see the movie again before I write anything else, so it might take a while before I post again... But I'll try to make it as fast as possible!
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  


	19. Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2018-11-22  
> So I still haven't watched the movie again but here's a short piece on what Nine's sister is up to!
> 
> 2018-11-27  
> More on Tammy and her family :)

Veronica is at school, slouched in her chair in the second-to-last row, trying to focus on what the teach is saying about- biology, maybe?

Yeah, must be biology, she has the same guy in bio and chemistry but chemistry's after the lunchbreak... Mister Smith, or Smyth, and he's as arbitrary as his name, except he kind of looks like a crow which doesn't make anything better.

Veronica sighs.

Going to school, working hard, getting a degree, living a better life than anyone else in the family, bla, bla, blah.

So far, she's always been good or at the very least okay in school, no matter how often she'd sneak out and meet friends and drink milkshakes at Denny's and design new hacking equipment while her peer were in class. She's just that clever, okay?

But now...

It's hard to focus on the differences between homologous and analogous evolution somethings while your sister is out there doing a bank-heist, or something!

Well, it's probably not a bank. Veronica had listened in enough to figure they're probably robbing an event rather than an institution... Still. Leslie is allowed to do that, while she's just... Ugh. 

"Miss Alexander, care to share your thoughts with the class?" Crowface asks.

She shakes her head and pretends to listen, while quickly covering her bank heist maybe not bank heist ideas on her sheet with other doodles. 

Veronica really wishes they'd need her help with something, too, those women that work with Nine.

 

 

* * *

* * *

 

 

After Tammy leaves Debbie with Lou, she drives home, thoughts drifting from the job to her waiting family and back. 

 

 

Yes, it is good to be doing this again, and she would love to do it more often... Was Debbie right after all?

But the she sees the picture perched onto the car's dashboard, and she is filled by a warmth no job could ever give her.

No, Debbie wasn't right. She made the right choice. Sure, she had missed the thrill of her criminal life, and she will miss it again- but, well, one can't have everything, and she knows where her priorities lie.

 

 

"Mommy!"

Sam is running towards her, the girl's braids flying in the wind as she throws herself into her mother's arms as if she had been gone for months, not days. 

"Hey my little girl." she smiles and holds her tight. It might not have been long, but she, too, didn't like the separation. 

 

"Mommy, where have you been?"

"I..."

Tammy had of course explained that she was going to stay in the city for a few nights this month, but no doubt the children had forgotten said explanation as soon as they turned around.

Now, with what she had thought about just a fee minutes prior, Tammy shivers. Maybe she could have everything...

It would be so easy, to tell her daughter the truth. Make a little crime legacy for herself.  
And Samantha would certainly be clever enough for it... Marek too, maybe, once he got a little older.

But no. Tammy shakes herself out of it and presses a kiss to Sam's hair before setting her back down onto the ground. 

She can't tell her the truth, not about this.

If her children will at one point in their lives chose a not so legal path, so be it, but for now Tammy will teach them that stealing is bad- not saying that it is inheritly _wrong_ or _evil_ , but that it would hurt people to loose what is rightfully theirs.

Because she knows that the act of not telling your children this, of perhaps instead making it seem easy, normal, and great to just take what they want, can lead not just to recklessness but to a viscious cycle of worsening, actual evil, criminal activity.

Tammy has seen it.  
Not in Debbie, never in Debbie... But then again, she had always been her very own moral compass. Or perhaps her brother had been... Although she is certainly still doing well by herself.

Either way, Tammy's opinion about criminal families stay the same.

 

So instead, as she bends down to be on eye level with Sam, Tammy says:

"Just helping out a friend in the city, dear- you know I will always come back to you, right?"

Sam nods, adorably biting around on her upper lip as she tries to look serious. 

Tammy smiles and gets up, taking her daughter's hand as they walk up to the house.

"Now, what have you learned in school today?"

And everything is as always.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have I used that example on what she's learning atm before? XD I have no memory of high-school subjects.
> 
> Btw yes Veronica sometimes calls Nine Nine and sometimes Leslie, of course she knows of her sisters nickname, she just chooses not to use it at times to go on her nerves.
> 
> 2018-11-27  
> It's my mom's birthday today! Everybody wish her a happy birthday so I can tell her the weird people I know on the Internet thought of her :D
> 
> Btw **should I cut this fic into another part?** (was this correct English. I don't care.) I'm going to write another chapter for this one, and after that I could either just keep going right here and see where we'll end up or try to end at the perfect exact 20k words and, don't worry, start a new fic for the actual heist :) what'd'ya think?


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2018-12-25  
> I'm terribly sorry that it takes me so long (omg it's literally been a month, I'm so SO sorry) to post new chapters atm, there were exams and then my birthday and now I'm totally caught up in uni worm (yes, in my holidays. Next presentation is 4th of January. Life sucks sometimes) so I only just managed to watch the movie again today, and only bc I watched it with my family, meaning I watched it in german- sorry if I translate any dialogue differently to how it originally was in the OV film :s

In her blue jumpsuit, Nine makes her way towards the entrance, ignoring the feeling in her gut telling her to run, screaming every stone in this building is probably worth more than her entire apartment. 

 

 

She's seen buildings like this before, of course- from the outside, or through a security camera perspective. 

Nine doesn't usually have any business infiltrating something in person. What are hacker skills for? 

But Deb is right: putting a virus on some lower ranking guy's computer is one thing, but messing with the microphones of the leaders of the most secure security film in the country? Another deal entirely. 

So there gotta be a real-life, physical bug.

How Tammy acquired that, Nine has no idea and she doesn't want to ask. Although, actually, she definitely should ask because that could be a contact vital for- no. Wait. She's getting out of this life, as soon as she got her cut of diamond money. No need for criminal networking. 

 

Anyhow. There's a wireless connected microphone and transmitter, magnetic, blunt metal and tiny. And yes, Nine knows how those work, where best to put it so they get the full range of sounds. So she will be the one to deliver. 

(That there's another reason- why she's the one least likely to surprise anyone in the role as a low class worker in this racist society, isn't spoken of. But Nine understands the ghastly real world- and for this price, she's for once voluntarily playing the part.)

 

 

Taking a deep breath, Nine strokes a hand overr her jumpsuot and forces a slight smirk onto her face. 

She got this.

In the attire of a low income blue collar worker, she's invisible here.

In those clothes, she is safe.

 

And of course, she's not alone, either: Constance is right there, snatching someone's badge just walking past- perfectly timed, and making it look so easy as she grabs it and then slips it to Nine.

Sometimes, Nine is really jealous of those real-life criminal skills... But honestly, she's too lazy to learn how to properly pickpocket someone, and hacking's probably more lucrative, too. 

Doesn't mean part of her doesn't still wish to just _know_...

 

 

Snatching a cleaning cart from where it stands abandoned by the side, Nine feels like a real-life spy infiltrating enemy territory. 

Damn, this adrenaline rush can't be good for anybody. 

 

7th floor... Room 701... 707... 713.

"Hello...want me to grab your trash?"

That's definitely higher-ups in there, judging the way they're shocked she's interrupting their super-secret meeting. 

Right door, then; right Intel.

And the snobs don't even want their bin to be emptied- honestly, the audacity. She's already here, and they _do_ have a full bin and would probably be pissed if that things still filled the next morning, so if she were really the last cleaning shift, would they expect her to just stick around in the building till they're done, or what?

And, more importantly: she needs to glue that bug to the bin, in the doorway it'd be muffled, everywhere else in range to visible or it wouldn't stick.

Thankfully, those assholes finally listen- it's only been a few seconds but with her heart racing behind her easy smile, it feels like an eternity to Nine. So. _Finally_.

This is definitely not Nine's brand of criminal activity. She desperately wants back to her laptop, her keyboard, the calming sound of her own typing and her personalised, Nine-ball mouse...

For now, she focuses on getting out of there, emptying a few other bins on her way out just for good measure, in case anyone is watching. 

 

 

 

Afterwards, Nine meets Deb, eating much-earned comfort food as they listen to the feed.

There's companionship in this, sitting next to each other and staring into the rain- a kind of feeling Nine isn't used to, hacking tends to be a rather solitary work.

Yet another reason to get a better job, once this is over. Leading a bar, she would be able to socialise more...

 

The adrenaline is still running through her body, and it's hard to focus on the voices coming through the headphones.

Deb seems to sense it, pushing her own waterbottle in Nine's direction. Yes, in retrospect coke might've not been the best choice of beverage, after already being so agitated.

But Debbie doesn't judge Nine for any of it.

She still knows how she felt, the first time she did something out of her comfort zone of wrongdoing. 

It's stressful, it's exhilarating- it can be addictive, if done right.

But neither of them is looking for addiction now. Not that anyone ever is...

But they _are_ looking for something.

For information.

To find out whether they have been successful in influencing those men and women in the Met security firm by the strategically placed picture, and if yes, when they firm will start their changes.

Of course, Deb always has a backup plan, there's one for the camera placement as well- But this way would be a lot easier. 

 

 

The meeting had already started as Nine got the bug in, but from what they now hear it's still obvious what's the topic of discussion... 

 

Debbie smiles.

 _They're in the met_.

No longer just observing, but interacting- _changing_. 

 

**_The game is on._ **

 

 

 

 

* * *

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No idea on what floor and in which room the meeting was or whether that's even visible, if yes and sb knows it let me know I'll edit it!
> 
>  
> 
> I end this part with this chapter, I don't know when I will manage to post the first chap of the next one but **there will be more!!!** so do subscribe to the series if you enjoyed this so far :D or leave a comment under this and I'll let you know when there's more! 
> 
> Hope you liked it! Happy holidays everybody :)


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